Joys of Parenting
by The Pen Vs The Sword
Summary: A series of short stories focusing on the joys of parenthood and all the headaches it brings along with it. Sonic/Amy, Tails/Cream, Knuckles/Rouge, Silver/Blaze. Rated K for some action.
1. Labors of Love: Part 1

**A/N:** Hello everyone!

**Sword:** Hi, hi! We got a new story! And it's one I'm really excited to do!

We had this idea a while ago, but didn't get around to writing it. However, CandiCindy is having a contest that we thought would be perfect for this. Basically, this will be the first in a series of short stories compiled into a main story, all featured around the Sonic characters and their children.

**Sword:** I've been thinking up all kinds of names!

**Pen:** I'm sure they're stupid.

**Sword:** *gasps and cries* Y-You're so mean!

Pen, apologize. Everyone else, Tails, Cream, and all related characters belong to Sega. The story, Sword, and Pen belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Thank you and enjoy.

**Labors of Love- Part 1**

"Tails!" Cream howled, drawing out his name high over the rushing wind. Tails turned in the pilot's seat, looking at the poor, peach rabbit. She held her rotund stomach and laid down in the seat, panting and groaning. She kicked the sides of the plane and squeezed her eyes shut, crying louder.

"Hang on, hon!" he yelled, flipping switches on the control panel before him. He squeezed a little more speed out of the Tornado. The blue aircraft sliced through the clouds and raced above bustling Station Square. He pulled the yoke to the left, aiming for the tall hospital on the coastline. "We're almost there!"

"Tails!" She reached for his hand and he took it. She squeezed with a surprising strength.

"Remember your breathing," he said. He inhaled and kept an eye on the gauges. "In." He exhaled. "Out. In. Out."

She tightened her vice grip, crushing his knuckles. "I know how to do it," she said, growling. Then she relapsed into more painful cries.

He couldn't believe that less than half an hour ago, they had been curled on the sofa at home, with his ear pressed to her belly and feeling the strong kicks within. He had buried his muzzle into her orange dress and kissed it. "I hope you come soon, sweetheart," he said. No sooner had he said that, the contractions started. He figured Cream partially blamed that on him.

Sonic had told him Amy was the same way during labor and that it was stressful, yet that was all perfectly normal. However, the pink hedgehog had also swung her hammer if anyone but the obstetrician and Sonic approached her while she squeezed out her son.

Tails hadn't been prepared. Despite only entering his twenties, he already felt like he had sprouted gray fur around his temples during the flight. Cream whimpered and sat forward, heaving into his ear. Her long, tan-tipped ears draped over his shoulder.

"We're getting close," he said. He pecked her cheek and she hugged him.

"Did you call everyone?" she asked.

He smacked his forehead and shirked under her. "Not yet." He had had enough time to throw on a good pair of pants and grab the shoulder bag of supplies. "I'll call now. Don't worry. They'll be at the hospital. I promise."

He dialed Sonic and Amy first. As he waited, an explosion boomed below them. They looked over the side of the plane and saw a large hole in the front of the Station Square Bank. Rubble and blocks lay scattered on the steps. A group of people, armed with guns and wearing black masks, descended the steps, shouting and firing their guns into the air and inside the bank. They dragged a couple of screaming people to two vehicles, a jet black car and a faded blue van. They threw the people and duffel bags of money in the seats before climbing in themselves. Then they took off in opposite directions.

Tails looked at Cream and she nodded. "Let's hurry," she said.

"Right." He angled the plane so as not to dive too steep. He kept an eye on the blue van and where it went and followed the faster black car. He held the phone to his ear, steering with one hand. _Please answer, Sonic._

* * *

Sonic pushed away his plate and patted his stomach. He tried and failed to suppress a quick burp and Amy threw him an annoyed look. "Sorry. In some places, that's a compliment though," he said.

"At least pretend to have table manners," Amy said. "Or any at all. For his sake." She pointed a fork at the violet toddler struggling in his wooden high chair. His face was drenched in mashed peas and carrots and he flicked some more onto his red shirt and diaper. He pushed his spoon and sippy cup onto the floor and Sonic picked them up.

"I do," he said, swallowing the next belch.

"So when you taught him to spin last week, you also told him not to dash into people?"

The blue hedgehog shrugged. "It takes time to learn how to control it. I'm just teaching him some early self-defense."

"Self-defense. To a one-year-old."

"Danger can strike at any time," he said in a bold fashion.

She smirked and pushed out from the table. She stood, a little unsteady, and Sonic helped her. "Well, maybe I can save the next one from your influence." She rubbed the small bulge under her red dress.

"Doubt it," he said, slipping behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He pecked her jawline and leaned into her neck. "Running is in our blood. Isn't that right," he looked up and their son had wormed his way out of his seat, "Florian?"

Florian clapped his hands and fell onto his plate. "Run! Run!"

Florian suddenly kicked and crawled very fast, flinging food at his parents. They shielded themselves as the peas and carrots covered them. "Florian! No!" they yelled. He climbed down from his high chair and dashed away on hands and knees. Sonic chased him as the phone rang.

Amy blocked off the kitchen, stairs, and hallways with plastic baby gates, trapping Florian in the living room. "Run! Run!" he kept shouting.

"No, Florian! No run!" Amy said.

"No, no, no, no!" he repeated, giggling. He crawled around the sofa, mashing food into the purple carpet.

"Stay!" Sonic said. He hopped over the sofa, but Florian crawled behind the television. "No! Florian!" Sonic scrambled around the furniture. "Don't touch anything! You'll get shocked!"

The phone continued to ring. "Do you got him?" she asked.

Sonic dove, catching Florian by his little foot. He pulled him into his chest and the toddler babbled and blew spit bubbles. "Got him."

"I'll get the phone."

Florian tried to squirm from Sonic, but he held him tight. "Oh, no you don't. You're not getting away again." He lifted Florian's shirt, exposing his pudgy belly. "Or getting away from these!" Sonic pressed his lips to the belly and blew a raspberry. Florian erupted into shrieks and laughter and he blew another one.

Amy tapped his shoulder and traded him the phone for Florian. "Hello?"

"Sonic!" Tails sounded worried and panicked. "Cream! It's time!" Sonic stood and looked at Amy. He put the phone on speaker and she listened in. "There's also a robbery. Two cars. We're going after one heading to the docks. The other is a blue van going for the bridge. Can you get that one and meet us at the hospital afterwards? Cream!" For several moments, they only heard an engine and what sounded like faint gunfire.

"Tai-wols!" Florian said. "Tai-wols!"

Amy shushed him. "Tails?" No answer. Sonic's heart hammered in his chest. If something had happened, the plane would've crashed, right? They would've heard it.

As if on cue, Tails' voice came back. "Look out!" Bullets pounded on metal and people screamed in the background. The engine whined and puttered, drowned by more gunfire. Seconds later, the engine wound down and there was a spectacular smash of metal crunching metal and skidding shells against asphalt. Another wallop of heavy bodies into a wall of some kind and all that they heard was crumbling bricks bouncing and rolling across the wreckage.

"Tails?" Amy asked. Someone groaned and she snatched the phone from Sonic. "Tails!"

"Right here."

"What was that?"

"They shot at some people," he said. "Had to block them with my wing. They got the engine. Oh, no." There was rustling and he urged Cream to move. "They're still conscious. Out of the seat! Hurry!" Cream moaned. "We're going to need some help here! We're at 4th and Main."

"I'm on my way!" Sonic said, then to Amy, "I'll get them to the hospital."

"I'll call Rouge and Blaze," Amy said. "Let them know what's going on." He nodded and took off.

* * *

Rouge sat on the faded green sofa, bouncing one leg on the other. On the opposite end, Knuckles held his chin in his glove, fuming and turning ever more red by the minute. In between, a young girl, no older than nine, sat between them, completely bored and almost lying flat on her back. A clock ticked softly, its golden pendulum swinging side to side, _tick-tock_ing and counting Rouge's rising blood pressure. She hated this stuffy room and the uncomfortable position they had been forced in, with the therapist staring at them with sympathy as if they were incompetent fools who needed all the help they could get. She laid all the blame squarely on Knuckles' shoulders. Even now, she directed her accusing thoughts on him, which he sent straight back with a disgusted glance or a heavy sigh.

The kindly therapist in a cushioned chair faced all three and steepled his fingertips together. "Rouge," he said in a gentle tone, "would you like to start today?" She tore her eyes from the framed degrees and licenses on the wall and bookshelf of family assistance guides below that, and frowned at him. "Very well." He turned to the young girl, who curled a locket of her white fur around her finger. "Ruby?" She looked up. "How about you? How are you today?"

She shrugged. "Fine."

"Did you have fun with your mom last week?"

"I guess."

"Did you do anything fun?"

Out of the very corner of his eye, Knuckles watched her. Rouge almost stepped in, but Ruby blurted out, "We went to a museum." She waited, tense and ready to stop her if need be.

"Did you enjoy it? See lots of things?"

"Yeah," she said. "Saw some paintings and sculptures. We went twice."

The therapist smiled at Rouge and she returned it. "A lot to see, I bet. Have to do it in two trips."

"We went at night the second time," Ruby said. "Mom wanted to see—"

Rouge slapped a hand over her mouth, "—an exhibit," she finished.

Knuckles rolled his eyes and muttered, "Figures."

"Knuckles?" the therapist asked. "Did you want to comment?"

Rouge glared at him as if daring to speak. The red echidna took the challenge and jabbed a glove at her. "Yeah, I would. What in the world are you thinking, bringing her to one of your 'jobs'?"

"Is there a problem with that?" the therapist asked. "Many parents bring their children to work. It can be healthy for the child—"

"There's nothing healthy about what she does," he said. The therapist raised an eyebrow and Rouge's cheeks burned. She would kill Knuckles after this. Drop Ruby off with Shadow, find some secluded spot, and go to town on Knuckles.

"Like you're any better," she said. "She told me all about the week before, how you had her guarding your stupid emerald with you the whole time!"

He huffed. "We did more than that. Besides, it's a sacred and honorable task. One passed down through many generations."

"Many generations of braindead echidnas, just like you!"

Knuckles bared his teeth and Rouge tightened her fists. "I'd expect that from someone who would sell their own mother for a jewel!"

"Please, you two," the therapist said, raising his hands. "Let's keep this calm and civil." Rouge stared down Knuckles for a good length before easing back into the sofa. She focused on her gloved hand and pretended to scratch dirt from her palm.

"Why didn't you leave her at home?" he said. "It's not like it would've taken long."

"You think I'm going to leave her by herself?" Rouge said.

"Mom," Ruby cut in, "I can stay by myself. Dad lets me stay in his hut by myself."

"But he can see you there, sweetie," Rouge said, cupping her face. "And there's no one else on the island." She embraced Ruby and stroked her head. "The city has a lot of dangerous people and I wouldn't want any of them to hurt you. All sorts of low-lives prowl around out there."

"And in here," Knuckles said, low to himself, but Rouge heard it.

"Yeah," Rouge said. "Too bad you have to be here."

Ignoring the slight, Knuckles said. "You could've called me."

"On what? There's no technology for a hundred miles on your rock."

"You could've come to me," he said. "I would've watched her."

"Right," she said sarcastically. "Because you're _always_ there and available for her. Unless your precious emerald needs you more."

This time, he stood and Rouge joined him. The mounting anger over the past few minutes, nay, the whole month, had been building to this and she was ready to let loose. "At least I'm not bringing our daughter to do something illegal!"

"At least I'm spending time with her like a parent!" Rouge said. "Doing things she wants to do!"

"Stop it!" Ruby yelled, punching the sofa cushions.

They ignored her and Rouge continued. "All you care about is your emerald and duty!"

"Look who's talking!" Knuckles shot back. "The jewel-obsessed thief accusing me of being obsessed with jewels!"

Ruby shouted louder for them to stop and the therapist stepped in, too. "Please, could we calm down?"

"Stay out of this!" they said and he shrank into his chair. Knuckles turned to Rouge and asked, "Do you really think that's all I care about?"

"When you fawn over it day after day, yes," she said. "What else can I think?"

"I fawn over its safety for you two," he said. That ended the constant shouting. Rouge blinked and everyone hung on Knuckles' next words. "If Eggman took the Master Emerald, his first target would be the city. I don't want anything to happen to you two." Rouge's body ceased functioning and she watched him rub his daughter's temple. "You two mean the world to me and I want to keep you safe."

There was no lie in his eyes. There never was, as he was horrible at it. He was a stubborn, hard-headed, rash fool, but an honest one. The therapist cleared his throat and leaned forward, speaking to Knuckles. "That's admirable, although there is such a thing as balancing your work and family lives. They need you there with them, your presence and support. I'm sure they enjoy the company, too."

Ruby nodded and Knuckles tussled the top of her head. "Yeah, I know. I haven't done a great job." When he raised his gaze to Rouge, she already saw the heartfelt apology in his violet irises. It dropped to the pit of his lungs and his chest heaved a heavy sigh, pushing the apology out with it. "I'm—"

She grabbed his elbow and pulled him into a kiss, cutting him off. That was all she needed. She ran a hand through his dreadlocks, pressing his lips hard against hers. He stumbled into her, bumping into the sofa and a coffee table. Ruby scooted away and the couple straightened. Knuckles cradled her back and tilted his head, angling his tongue to glide along hers.

The room faded into the atmosphere and Rouge leaned backwards in his arms, further, further until they rolled onto the ground with her on top. She straddled his waist and pressed her body to him. A groan escaped from him and into her mouth. He gently tickled the base of her spine up to her shoulders with his hands, touching the exact spots that sent pleasurable shivers throughout her body.

Somewhere behind them, Ruby gagged and begged them to stop. "Ugh! I had a nightmare like this!"

The therapist, unsure if he should touch either, kept reaching forward and pulling his hand away. "Please, could you control yourselves? We're still in a session."

Eventually, Rouge's phone ended the passionate flurry on the carpet. She ignored the first call, but when she received one immediately after, she broke the kiss. Knuckles caught his breath, his dazed eyes rolling around like ping-pong balls. Ruby scolded them overhead and Knuckles pulled her down into the pile, giving her cheek a sloppy kiss.

"Ewww!" She pulled against his strong grip and wiped her cheek. "Dad, that's disgusting!" When he refused to let go, she licked the side of his head and he laughed.

"Hello?" Rouge answered the phone.

"Hey, it's me," Amy said on the other line. "Cream went into labor. However, we've got a problem." She quickly explained the situation with the bank robbery and the crash. "Sonic had to help Tails and Cream, but there's another one escaping. A blue van going to the city bridge."

Rouge stood and tapped Knuckles. "We have to leave," she said. He picked up Ruby and opened a window in the room. "We'll take care of it and meet up at the hospital afterwards, Amy," she said to the phone and ended the call.

"Thanks for the help, doc," Knuckles said. "This was a productive session."

"Uh, anytime," he said, bewildered as Knuckles leaped out the window, gliding through the air.

Rouge followed him. "C'mon, honey," she said to Ruby. The smaller bat waved to the doctor and spread her red, leathery wings. She jumped out after her parents, flapping hard to match their speed and tucking her limbs tight to her body.

The therapist straightened his coffee table and rubbed his eyes. "I need to screen my clients more thoroughly."

**A/N:** Originally meant for this to be one part, but it went longer than I expected, so we're splitting it into two.

**Sword:** And the sequel is up now! Go, check it out!

And please let us know what you think of the story. Thank you for reading.


	2. Labors of Love: Part 2

**A/N: **Well, let's not waste much time and get right into it.

**Sword:** Yay!

**Pen:** I hate you both for making me write this much drivel in one period.

**Sword:** Tails, Cream, and all related characters belong to Sega. The story, me, and Pen belong to the author. Violet belongs to CandiCindy. Please enjoy!

**Labors of Love- Part 2**

Blaze awoke from her sleep with a falling sensation. She was close to the edge of the bed and about to slip off. She rolled over, slapping her hand on empty bed sheets. Propping up onto an elbow, she searched the large four-poster bed and the bedroom, lit only by soft candlelight and the beautiful, pale moon shining through a large glass window onto the floor. Alone. Nobody else was there. She threw back the sheets, shivered in her white undershirt and shorts, and lit a fire in the palm of her hand. Then she searched the hallway outside and shuffled along the cold, stone floor of the castle to the room beside hers.

Inside, yellow streamers and tapestries of her house emblem, the Sol Emerald, hung on the walls. Toys of all sizes were lined against the wall and numerous infant books— some for reading, others with sound advice— were shelved near a pair of white cribs. In between the cribs, rocking in a chair, was the silver hedgehog she was searching for. He snored softly, rocking like an old relative telling stories to the younger generations gathered around. In his arms, he held two young infants, a bluish-silver cat and hedgehog, both nuzzled into his large tuft of pure white chest fur like a pillow, grabbing it with their tiny fingers. They puffed their fat cheeks and their tongues poked out enough to dribble onto him.

Blaze smiled and hovered over them. The babies stirred, waking the older hedgehog. He blinked with heavy bags under his eyes that matched hers and looked up. "Hey," he said in a hushed whisper.

"Hey," she said, kneeling beside him.

"Something wrong?"

"No," she said. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"It was alright," he said, yawning. "They're fine now."

She frowned. "Silver." But he had already dozed off again. She pecked his forehead and took one of the babies, rousing him. They returned the babies to their cribs and admired them for a few moments. Silver leaned his weight on her and she guided him out of the nursery and back to their room.

However, a guard blocked their path outside of the nursery, his armor jangling like a dozen saucepans. Silver held his temple as the guard saluted and said rather loud, "Queen Blaze, King Silver—" The two shushed him, pointing at the babies inside. "My apologies," he whispered, still making a racket in his armor. Blaze made a mental note to have the armor redesigned in the morning.

"What is it, private?" Silver asked, unable to keep his head from drooping on Blaze's shoulder.

"It's Mrs. Amy," he said. "She had an urgent call about Cream going into labor and Sonic stopping a robbery."

Blaze nodded and handed Silver off to the guard. "Get him to bed. I'll go ahead and he can come to the hospital later."

Silver pushed the guard away. "No. I'm coming, too. Grab your stuff and I'll meet you at the portal." He stumbled down the hall and Blaze sighed.

"Make sure he gets there," she told the guard. He saluted again. "And have someone watch the nursery. Preferably Gardon."

"Yes, Your Highness."

* * *

"Grab the money!" one the robbers shouted. Tails peered over his hunk of destroyed plane and ducked as bullets peppered the metal. Cream was red in the face and couldn't speak in complete sentences. He threw himself over her with each burst of gunfire.

"Tails," she said. "Soon."

"I know, hon. I know. Soon." He checked again. Another robber held a car at gunpoint and was ordering the person out of the car. The plane had been split in half and Tails and Cream had hid behind the tail. Off to the right were the seats and, more importantly, a turret gun loaded with rubber bullets and electric shock rounds. If Tails could only make it past the several feet of open space separating the halves, they had a shot. But he would have to be very fast.

As if on cue, the wind whipped through the area and Sonic appeared at their side. "Hey, bud," he said, then waved to Cream. "How you holding up?" She growled at him. "Yeah, I figured. Amy's already calling back-up. How many we got?"

"Three," Tails said.

"Shouldn't be too hard," he said. However, when the two of them looked out, the robbers now had hostages held at gunpoint and were loading them into the car. "On the other hand…" The robbers threw in the duffel bags of money.

"Can you distract them?" Tails asked. "I have an idea."

"Will do." He ran as fast as light and stopped in front of the car, leaning on the hood with a coy grin worming up his cheek. "Hey there. How's it going?"

"It's Sonic!" one of them said. "Just perfect." They aimed their guns at the hostages in the car.

Tails moved Cream to a thicker part of the plane. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He snuck to the edge of the broken half and waited for the right opportunity.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sonic said, wagging a finger. "You know how fast I am."

"But are you fast enough to stop three guns?" one robber asked, his finger pulling the trigger a little.

Tails knew that was risky. To get all three passengers out of the car and out of harm's way wouldn't do. And it was very possible the shots would go off before Sonic disarmed the criminals. Tails was out of time. He dove for the other side, hoping they wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately, one robber spotted him before his twin namesakes pulled into cover. "Hey!" He rattled his gun. "Come out, you!"

"The sun playing tricks on you?" Sonic asked. "Or is it nerves?" Tails waited for a moment, holding his breath.

"Shut up! I know what I saw!" A gun clicked. "And if your friend doesn't get out here right now, I'll shoot these people! One!" Tails squeezed his eyes shut. "Two!" the robber yelled louder.

"Fine, fine!" Tails said, raising his hands above his head. He slowly walked out and joined Sonic in front of the car.

"See? Like I said," the robber bragged to his friends. "Any more of you freaks back there?"

"No," Tails said, trying not to look at where Cream was. The robber nudged one of his friends to check. Tails grimaced and looked to Sonic. He gave him a reassuring glance and they waited while the gunman searched behind the plane. When he returned, empty-handed, Tails breathed a half-panicked, half-relieved breath. Cream was safe, but where was she? A pregnant woman, off on her own somewhere, with criminals around, and about to give birth? He had to be by her side.

"Nothing there, boss," the gunman said.

"Well then," the boss said, aiming at Sonic and Tails. "Guess we'll be going then. Have a pleasant d—OW!" An object struck his neck and he turned, waving his gun wildly. Tails spotted Cream in the plane's gunner seat, gripping the turret before the boss did. Another rubber bullet hit his abdomen and he doubled over.

"BABY IN ME! COMING OUT!" she shouted in a hoarse voice. "BACK FROM EVERYONE!" She sprayed the three criminals with rubber bullets, all the while yelling until she lost her voice. Pedestrians dropped prone and sought cover. Sonic and Tails ducked behind the car and watched. The robbers fell and cowered beneath the bullets, tucking their heads into their bodies. When the turret emptied, they were too sore to move and laid there, groaning and wailing.

Cream collapsed in the seat and Sonic and Tails rushed over. "Tails," she said softly, reaching for him.

He scooped her up and held her against his thigh. "We're right here, hon. We're fine. Everyone's fine. You did great."

"Good," she said. Then she yanked him forward face-to-face and said in a low, demonic voice, "Hospital. Now."

"I'll take her," Sonic said. "Back in a flash." He picked her up and dashed off. Meanwhile, Tails busied himself and threw away the criminals' weapons. Bystanders had already called the police and sirens blared in the distance when Sonic returned minutes later.

"How is she?" Tails asked.

"Fine," he said. "They have her in a room. The others are handling the van. C'mon. It should be on the way to the hospital."

Tails flew high into the sky, staying above Sonic, and they raced to the start of the bridge in time for Knuckles to finish blocking it off with parked cars. Above him, Rouge scouted for any sign of the van while Ruby hung back in the air, crossing her legs.

Knuckles pulled a final convertible into place as the blue van screeched around a corner. The van jerked to the side at the last moment, away from the bridge, and crashed into a wall separating the bridge's rise from the other roads.

One of the robbers stepped out, dizzy and fumbling with his gun. When Knuckles and Rouge approached, he fired all around in an arc. The pair ducked behind their barricade, but some stray bullets went for Ruby.

"Watch out!" Tails called. Knuckles and Rouge gasped and Ruby's eyes widened. Sonic ran up the side of a building while Tails spun his namesakes faster, aiming for her. Ruby covered her face.

Before Tails or Sonic could save her, a round teal shield formed out of thin air in front of her. The few bullets bounced off and she raised her head, examining the shield. Behind her, Silver and Blaze appeared. "You alright?" Silver asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Thanks, Uncle Silver."

"Anytime." Below, the other robbers had exited the crash and pointed their guns at everyone. Silver spread his hand and ripped the guns away from them. He threw them into the nearby river. "Someone could get hurt with those."

When the robbers tried to run and scatter, he tugged at them and yawned. His hold continued to falter and Blaze put a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest. I got this." He nodded and drooped his head, letting the robbers go. Again, they split up and ran as she stepped up and shot forth a stream of fire. "Oh, no you don't." She created a ring around the robbers and the barricade, effectively trapping them. Trapping them with a very upset echidna and bat, with sulfur and brimstone burning bright in their eyes.

Knuckles grabbed one criminal and threw him against the van, knocking him out. Rouge kicked a second in the gut and he doubled over. She elbowed the back of his neck and he fell. Then they turned to the last one, the one who fired on Ruby.

Rouge was on him first and punched him to the ground. "Don't you ever," she kicked his ribs and climbed atop him, "shoot at my," she punched his head twice, "baby!" She raised her fist for a third time and lifted him up by his collar, but he was already near unconscious. She dropped him and stood, turning to Knuckles. "What?"

"I love you so much right now," he said, kissing her passionately. The robber raised his head and Knuckles kicked him aside, then lifted Rouge and wrapped her legs around his waist.

* * *

Minutes later, Tails burst into the hospital, demanding to know where Cream was. Sonic led him to one of the upper floors, through several twisting hallways, and into a single room where a few nurses bustled about and an obstetrician sat on a stool, ordering Cream to breathe deep and push. "Once more, Ms. Prower. Push." Cream sat on the table with her legs raised, in a hospital gown and with a sheet covering her. She gritted her teeth and strained, her face as red as a tomato, and she exhaled, relaxing her body as much as she could.

The obstetrician turned to the large party standing at the entrance. "Only the father, please," she said. The rest filed out and Sonic clapped Tails on his shoulder, giving him a smile before leaving.

A nurse handed Tails a set of blue scrubs matching her own. "Please put this on." He nodded and quickly threw them on. Then he stood by Cream's side, holding her hand tight. Up close, sweat poured profusely down her forehead and she shut her eyes tight, half-screaming into the pillow.

"Tails," she said. "Tails."

"I'm here," he said. "I'm here. Just push, okay? Push." She nodded and she pushed with all her might. He breathed in and out with her, helping in any way he could.

He stayed by her side with her for what seemed like hours, encouraging her and reminding her of the breathing techniques. "You're doing great," he kissed her forehead. "Only a little more. You're doing great."

Nurses came in and out, administering painkillers and propping Cream up. Tails assisted and at one point, Cream bit her pillow, chanting repeatedly, "Make it stop! Make it stop! Tails, make it stop!"

Finally, after several hard pushes, the obstetrician looked up. "I can see a head," she said.

Tails bounced on his feet and his heart hammered in his chest. He shook Cream's hand. "You here that? You're getting there. Keep going."

With much more straining, the head came out, followed by the torso, then the legs. The baby cried nonstop and the obstetrician cut the cord. Cream laid on her pillow, close to passing out and the doctor had the nurses clean the baby off and check its vitals. Once dry and declared healthy, she wrapped the baby in a bundle of blankets and held it out to the parents. "She's got quite a set of lungs on her. Would you like to hold her?"

They nodded and Tails took the bundle and passed it to Cream. She pushed aside the blanket to see their baby clearly and Tails leaned over her shoulder. The baby's cries were settling down, but she was still red and upset. She bounced the little rabbit in her arms and minded her little feet. For a long while, neither really knew what to say. They admired her and watched her tiny twitches and movements, her unfocused, chocolate eyes wandering around the room.

"Se's gorgeous," Cream said. Then she leaned into the baby's face and kissed her forehead.

Tails didn't even know what to say. He watched this tiny creature he helped make, fascinated with every aspect. This girl was from them. She was their child. His mind short-circuited as it processed this fact. "She looks just like her mother," Tails said, prodding his finger into the baby's chest. The newborn's fur was thin, slick, and nearly colorless, save for a very light peach hue, the same as Cream's. She made all sorts of murmurs and cries, yet soon fell asleep in Cream's arms. Tails kissed her forehead, then Cream's and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

A nurse cleared her throat. "Have you two decided on a name?"

"Yes," Cream said. "A while ago. Violet Prower." The nurse nodded and jotted down the name and recorded the weight and time of birth. She left them and allowed everyone else to enter.

"Please only a few at a time," she asked on her way out. She was ignored and everyone shoved in at once.

Amy and Sonic were the first ones in. Amy passed Florian to Sonic and cooed over Violet. "Oh, she's so precious!" she whispered.

Sonic agreed and ruffled Tails' head. "Congratulations, bro."

"Thanks," he said. He laid against Cream and stared at Violet while everyone took turns offering congratulations and fawning over the newborn. He followed his daughter and dozed off. _My daughter._ He grinned at the last thought before fading into slumber land.

**A/N:** Whew! Finished.

**Sword:** Aw, I wanna see the baby more! I'm in a baby mood now. *looks at Pen*

**Pen:** No.

**Sword:** *pouts*

If anyone's curious, we decided on Florian for Sonic and Amy because everyone uses Dash or some speed-related name for their child, but never a nature or flower one. For Ruby, well, it's pretty obvious. Hope you enjoyed this first story and please let us know what you thought of it. As always, thank you for reading.


	3. Shadow the Sitter

**A/N:** Hello, everyone. We're back with—

**Sword:** Babies! Cute, cuddly babies!

Uh, yes. Kind of. We had another idea for this story and with her birthday coming up, we decided to make this a gift for Avalon the Assassin since she likes Shadow. So without further ado, Shadow and all related material belong to Sega. The story, Sword, and Pen belong to me. Violet belongs to CandiCindy on Deviantart, whose drawing I also used for the way I described Florian's quills. Please do not use without permission.

**Sword:** Quick, Pen! Let's have a baby!

**Pen:** Not on your life.

**Shadow the Sitter**

"Tell me again why I can't go?" Shadow asked, cutting his eyes into the living room. Ruby rocked back and forth on the sofa, stomping her feet as she reached a game over screen again and called her character every mild insult that Rouge allowed.

"Because G.U.N. needs us to find this Chaos Emerald quick," she said, slipping on her boots. "And it'll be better since Knuckles and I are natural treasure hunters."

"Knuckles' in-built senses aside, I have a connection to them," he said.

"But you know me and jewels."

"I know," he said, listening to Ruby swear up a storm and let slip a foul word.

"Language!" Rouge yelled.

"Sorry, Mom!"

"That said," he continued, "three would be better. She could stay here by herself. She's old enough and the apartment will be fine. We have locks and a security alarm."

"Look, I'm sorry I couldn't get a sitter on short notice. But please, I would feel better if you stayed," she said, opening the door. It was a chilly night and she turned up her coat collar, bracing against the cold. "It's not hard."

_Says you. _"Let me just come."

He grabbed his own coat, but she raised a commanding finger and pointed at him. "Stay," she said with the same final tone she used when Ruby argued with her. He crossed his arms and she nodded. "I'll be back soon." She shut the door and left.

With a sigh, he set the alarm and plopped down in an easy chair, watching Ruby's game. It wasn't the first time he had been left alone with her, but he never enjoyed it. Not that Ruby was a bad kid. In fact, the more she grew, the more she reminded Shadow of her mother.

No, he didn't know what to do with her outside of watching her like any escort G.U.N. assigned him to. He didn't know how to interact with her in a natural way, including pretending he was talking to a mini-Rouge. Somehow, he always managed to "creep her out" in her own words, despite living here every other week with him and Rouge. Even more so when Rouge was out. He was either too quiet, too cold, too grumpy, or all three, and Rogue berated him every time, asking him to try harder.

And he did. Just like he did this time. When Ruby finally beat the frustrating level, she threw her hands and the controller up in the air, hovered a foot off the ground, and spun in a little dance, swinging her hips. "Oh, yeah! Who's the best? I'm the best!"

"Not bad," he said, offering a pained half-smile. That killed the mood as fast as Ruby fell back onto the sofa. Shadow cursed himself as Ruby picked up the controller and held it close to her chest, along with her arms and legs, trying not to make eye contact. He'd hear about this for sure.

"Uh, thanks," she muttered, surprising him. He eased a little and they settled back into the quiet routine from before. The room felt a little more comfortable. It wasn't the best, but it was a start.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

Shadow pushed off the sofa and checked the door's peephole, startled to find Sonic and Amy waiting outside. _Faker._

The blue hedgehog pressed his eyes to the peephole. "Hellooooo? Anyone in there? Rouge?" Shadow swung open the door and leaned against the frame. "Oh, hey Shads."

He turned to Amy first and nodded a greeting. "Amy." Then glared at Sonic. "You." Florian whimpered in his father's arms. Quills that hung like bangs in front like his mother's, but stuck up in the rear in a mess, and eyes like his father's. He didn't know how to address that combination and ignored him.

Amy stepped up to speak, pulling the baby bag brimming with diapers and bottles higher on her shoulder. "Hey, Shadow. Is Rouge here?"

"She's out," he said. "Last minute mission."

"Oh," she said, frowning. "Uh, she was supposed to watch Florian tonight. Sonic was taking me out on a date. She didn't tell you?"

"No," he said.

"He made the reservations a couple months ago. Been planning this for a while. Even wore my best dress." She opened her coat, showing a rather slimming red dress, despite her pregnancy, and sashayed its flowing end.

"It's nice." They were casting funny looks his way and between each other. By then, Ruby had abandoned her game and joined him at the front door, pushing past Shadow.

"Hey, Sonic. Hey, Amy," she said. Then she reached up and poked Florian in his puffy belly. "Hey, Florian." He giggled and reached for her. "What are you two doing here?"

"Oh, your mom was going to watch Florian for us tonight so Sonic could take me out," Amy said. "But Shadow told us she left for a mission."

"Yeah, but we could watch him for you," she said.

Suddenly, Shadow deciphered the funny looks, now pointed at him. He almost blurted out the first words that came to mind. "Like. He—" But then remembered the younger company and cleared his throat. "I'm watching Ruby tonight."

"So?" the girl said. "He's alright. It's not hard watching him."

Mini-Rouge alright. Sonic was holding out his son to him and he had the urge to smack his rival. "He never gets to spend time with his Uncle Shads anyway. Isn't that right, Florian?"

The toddler stretched out a curious hand and slapped Shadow's nose. He shrieked and laughed, doing it again. "Unca Sads! Unca Sads!" He reached his stubby little fingers out for him, grunting to be held.

"See? He already likes you."

Shadow was about to kick Sonic off the balcony overlooking the parking lot, but two things stopped him. One was Ruby. She had that expression that told him if he did, this _would_ be reported to Rouge first thing. The second was Amy. She all but begged him with her eyes, folding her hands on her stomach and swinging her dress around, albeit slow and anxious.

Besides that, if he agreed, maybe Ruby would rave about him to Rouge instead. That would be a preferable change. And Rouge should be back soon enough. With a heavy sigh, he reached out for Florian. He was lighter than the weight settling on his shoulders.

"Hey, thanks," Sonic said, slipping the bag over Shadow's head and about to clap his shoulder. He froze and retracted his hand as Shadow gave him an evil eye. "Uh, we'll be going."

_Smart._ He shut the door on them and stood in the foyer, holding Florian out at arm's length. Ruby watched him expectantly and Florian still reached for him. Or more specifically, his chest fur, grabbing clumps of it.

"I know he wears a diaper, but you don't hold him like he is one," Ruby said.

He bit down a reply and brought Florian to his chest. The toddler snatched larger handfuls of fur, jerking hard and sucking on it. Shadow alternated between gritting his teeth and suppressing shivers from the slimy tongue. He couldn't stay in the foyer the whole time. He figured he should find something for the three of them to do.

Florian raised his large head up to Shadow and whimpered. _Oh, no._ He powerwalked to the living room, sat down with the bag beside him, and rummaged through it. Stuffed animals, picture books, several wooden blocks. He picked out one of the latter and handed it to Florian. The toddler tried several times to take it before getting a good grasp and it settled him down.

Then Florian raised the block and clocked Shadow in the forehead with it. "Ow!" Florian giggled and did it again. "Stop, stop, stop!" Shadow threw the block on the floor and dumped out the rest of the toys. He set Florian down amongst them and rubbed the sore spot. "Play with those."

The phone rang and Ruby answered it. "Hello? Hey, Mom! How's the mission?"

"Give me the phone," he demanded. After a few quick words, she offered it and he snatched it from her hands. "Rouge. Florian is here."

"Oh, that's right," she said. "I completely forgot. Sorry."

"How soon until you're done?"

"Oh, we're already done. But Knuckles wanted to take me out to dinner somewhere. I think it's that upscale one on the north end of town. He's been a little nervous all night and—"

"No, I need you back here," he said, turning from Ruby. "I can't watch both of them all night."

"He's a little kid. And Ruby can help. She's great with Florian. You'll be fine. Got to go. Tell Ruby I love her."

"But," and she hung up on him. He jammed the receiver into the bridge of his nose, muttering to himself. Two kids all night. One he already had trouble getting along with and the other he knew nothing about. _Great._

"Uh, you shouldn't let Florian get on the floor," Ruby said. "Mom doesn't."

"Why's that?" Shadow looked to where Florian was. Or had been. He choked on a foul word and jumped to his feet.

"He's fast, remember?"

He vaguely did. Quick on his feet and mischievous like his father. A bad mix. Shadow ran throughout the apartment. The bathroom? Nothing behind the toilet or in the shower. The bedrooms? Nobody under the beds. "Check the halls!" he told Ruby. He dashed to the kitchen, making sure Florian wasn't in any cupboards drinking bleach or drain cleaner or had crawled into the stove somehow. That would be the last thing he would want to hear from Rouge, already imagining it. "You poisoned/cooked the baby?!"

No sign of him. But before he panicked, Ruby shouted from her bedroom, "Found him!"

She sat on her bed, cradling Florian, who was holding a doll and waving it so fast that the doll's seams were giving up and his arm was a blur. "Where was he?" Shadow asked, taking him.

"In my closet," she said. "He loves digging out my old toys." In her corner closet, a pile of stuffed animals and old dolls had toppled over and spilled out the doorway. "He always comes here if Mom sets him down for a second. You can't really let him loose unless you have a harness."

_Thanks for telling me, Sonic and Amy._ He focused bad luck to them, particularly Sonic as Florian shuffled his legs rapidly against his chest, trying to crawl up his face. "Does your mom have a harness?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nope. But she's got a pen."

A few minutes later, he finished dragging the playpen out of the hall closet, knocking several blankets onto his head and dumping over a box of Christmas ornaments onto the floor, a few which he heard crunch underneath the playpen's legs,. He tossed the playpen into the middle of the living room and tore off the blankets on his head. "'You'll be fine,' she says. 'It's not hard.' Right."

While he steadied the playpen and started stretching it open, the doorbell rang. Grunting as he whacked one of the peg legs against his shin, Shadow jerked his head to the door. "Go get that." Ruby trotted off with Florian in her arms and it wasn't until Shadow had unfolded the pen and picked up a blanket to set down in it that he realized his fatal error. He had sent a young girl with baby in hand to answer a door late at night. He may as well have slapped a note on them reading "Kidnap us."

Dropping the blanket, he rushed to the door. Ruby was chatting with the visitor and it sounded like she knew them. And a baby was crying. Shadow checked Florian first, who shirked from him, and then the visitor.

There stood Tails, his fur ruffled and standing up at odd ends. His whole body, including his namesakes, almost dragged against the ground. He might have been prone too, if not for the wailing baby in his arms, whose name escaped Shadow. He blinked slowly through bloodshot eyes and bagged lids at Shadow. "Hey," he said in a raspy voice.

Shadow barely heard him over the baby's yelling and it was upsetting Florian. He ushered Ruby back in. "Take him to the pen," he said, then stepped outside, pulling the door to. "What do you want?" he asked over the baby's cries. He tried not to lean in to hear any replies, for the closer he got, the more piercing the baby was. Her voice dug into his ears and circled his brain already, searching for an opening to worm its way inside.

"Have you seen Sonic or Amy?" Tails asked, patting his baby's bottom and rocking her half-heartedly. A baby bag in his hand, smaller than Florian's, sat beside his feet.

"They're on a date."

"Oh, right," he said, smacking his forehead. "Is Rouge here?"

"She's on a mission."

"Knuckles?"

"The same."

"Who's watching Ruby and Florian?"

"I am," Shadow said.

Tails looked down at his daughter, up to Shadow, back into the night, Shadow, the baby, and repeated. He seemed to be on the verge of asking for something, but was undecided.

Finally, after the screams grew louder, he made a choice. "Cream and I haven't had a rest for two weeks," he said. "We barely get any sleep. She's been up with Violet all last night and all day. She's at home sleeping and I can't come back like this. It's not fair to her. I only got a couple hours sleep too." Shadow certainly believed that as Tails tried to shush the baby. But he was giving Shadow that same funny expression Sonic and Amy had and he already knew what the new father would ask. "Can you watch Violet? For only a while. I can come get her later."

There was no way Shadow could, or would, put up with a screaming nuisance and have a larger headache than he already did. But as he started to do so, he thought of Ruby, and to some extent Rouge, and what they would say if he shunned Tails. The boy was desperate and appeared like he was prepared to do anything for a "Yes."

Deflating, Shadow held out a hand. Tails cocked an eyebrow, puzzled, then realized it and his face glowed like a bulb that found a little more spark inside itself. "Really?"

Shadow's already massive frown deepened and he didn't say a word, just shook his arm once and held it out further. Tails carefully handed Violet over to him and thanked him nonstop. "I'll be back to get her soon. Thank you again." With that, he spun his namesakes and flew off into the night at a slow, leisurely pace.

Shadow grabbed Violet's bag, then opened the door and kicked it shut. He found Ruby waiting for him and she smiled. "You did the right thing," she said. He shot murderous daggers at her and she cowered underneath him. "I'll heat up her bottle," she said, digging through the bag and producing a small bottle of milk and a pacifier. She handed the latter to Shadow. "Try that."

He stuck the pacifier in her mouth, but she curled her lips at it, refusing to keep it in. He kept trying as he grabbed the phone and called Rouge a few times. She didn't answer, so he left a message and followed Ruby to the kitchen. She had dug out a pot from a cabinet, filled it with water, and set it on the stove to heat up with the bottle in the center.

"Where did you learn all this?" he asked.

"From Mom," she said. "She and Dad watch them sometimes. Usually Mom though. For some reason, Dad hardly gets to babysit. I don't know why."

_I wonder_, Shadow rolled his eyes, thinking to Knuckles's obsession with the Master Emerald. Then he pondered why he hadn't realized that Rouge did watch the other kids so often. Although he was usually away on missions.

"Done!" Ruby said, taking the bottle out. She let it cool a minute, handed it to Shadow, and he raised it to Violet's lips, trying to force it in. "Stop!" she yelled, snatching the bottle from him. "You have to test it."

"Test it?"

"Make sure it's not too hot," she said.

He took the bottle and felt it with the back of his hand. "No," she said. He took a swig and smacked his lips. It had an odd taste. She chuckled and shook her head. "You're hopeless."

He snorted and pushed the bottle into Violet's mouth. "And you're short." He smirked as she stuck out her tongue. Violet suckled on the bottle and leaned into his chest.

It actually felt nice. Dare he say, relaxing. Ruby watched him, swinging her arms back and forth, and he subconsciously moved his face closer to Violet's, meeting her large brown eyes. The only sound was her _sluck, sluck_ on the bottle.

And just like that, the peace was shattered.

The doorbell rang. Violet scrunched up her lips and belted a loud, shrill cry. Florian joined in from the living room, yelling rather than crying. Shadow thrusted Violet into Ruby's arms and stomped to the door. _What fresh misery is this?_

He nearly tore the door off its hinges and scowled at Silver and Blaze, each with a baby in hand and a bag on Silver's arm. "Hey," Silver said, waving. "Is Rouge home?"

His eye twitched and he dug his fingers into the door. "That _is_ a popular question tonight," he grounded out through his teeth. "She's out. Why?"

"We have a diplomat from another country that will be at the castle in an hour," Blaze said. "The nurse usually on duty is ill, as is her replacement. We haven't been able to reach Sonic, Amy, Tails, or Cream either and we need to hurry back."

The headache thudded against his skull like every knock on the door tonight as he saw that look on their faces. That. Look. The one that was about to upset whatever shred of balance he had left and would add to the cacophony of yelling inside. His vision tunneled on the two and he shoved the door open wide. It bounced off the door stopper and smacked him in the forehead.

"Sure!" he shouted, rubbing his head and sarcasm oozing from every letter. "Bring them in! What's a few more?" He swept a hand to the noise within.

Unfortunately, Silver didn't pick up on the tone like Blaze did. He set the twins in Shadow's arms, the bag at his feet, and lifted off the ground with Blaze in a teal glow. "Hey, thanks! We really appreciate this!" Then they were off, a translucent ball that winked out among the stars on the horizon.

This whole evening felt surreal, like some deranged nightmare. Shadow wanted to lay there on the porch for a minute. Maybe an hour. Contemplate on things and where this night had gone wrong. Perhaps he would wake up.

But Ruby opened the door and reality blasted him back with wails. "You forgot to burp her," she said, holding out Violet and a towel to him. He exchanged babies with her and draped the towel over his shoulder. He sat in the living room while Ruby tended to the others in the pen. The twin hedgehog and cat babbled in their own talk to Florian, who clapped his hands at the new visitors.

Shadow kept patting Violet's backside, yet she wouldn't stop. He held her out and poked her stomach, tapped it with the flat of his hand, and her cheeks puffed out. He put her back on his shoulder and she burped. But only when the wet sensation matted down his fur did he realize the dry diaper on his right shoulder. And Violet on his left.

He swore under his breath and as if on cue, one of the twins started to cry. He grabbed a few wipes, cleaned off Violet, and set her down in the pen while he cleaned the discolored mess out of his fur, muttering to himself.

"She won't stop crying," Ruby said, holding out the twin hedgehog. "I think you need to deal with it."

"Why?" he asked, throwing away the wipes. "What's—" he clamped his mouth shut, already tasting the odor. "Is that what I think it is?"

She was on the verge of giggling and pointed at the cat. "I think he did it too."

Shadow grabbed the twins' bag. "Watch them," he told Ruby. "And," he was at a loss for words. Feed them? Play with them? "Just watch them."

He set the twins on Rouge's bed and the bag beside them. He knew there were some towels in the closet to protect the sheets, but Rouge had left him with this duty tonight. He figured she deserved some payback. "Probably why she insisted I stay," he said, digging out clean diapers for each, wipes, and baby powder. "And why she was so quick to get out of here. We'll go bare then."

The hedgehog sniffled, a snot bubbled popping on her nose, and her brother was beginning to whine as well. He opened her diaper and held his breath. He quickly wiped her off and disposed of the trash. "At least it's you two, not Florian," he said, powdering her and putting on the new diaper. Changing the diaper of the son of his rival. That would be a low point. Although he probably jinxed himself by even thinking it.

He picked up the cat and the diaper immediately started to come down. He tore off the tape and stuck it back on again. Again it slipped. He did that several times until he ended up ripping the diaper to shreds. He grabbed the third and last spare diaper in the bag and put it on. It stayed and he held a warning finger up to her. "Don't go any more for the rest of the night." She sucked her fingers in response. He changed the cat's diaper with relative ease and his stayed on.

As he went back to the living room, he noticed the upturned playpen and Violet bundled on the sofa. He jumped and kicked the playpen right side-up and put the two inside it. "Do I have to tie you brats down?!" And where was Ruby? "Ruby!"

"In here!" she said from the kitchen.

Florian was darting in and out underneath the table, giving Ruby a run for her money. On the stove, the pot was boiling over. "I'm sorry!" she said, missing the hedgehog again. "I forgot to turn off the stove and when I went to do it, he got out!"

Shadow ignored her and turned off the stove, then reached for Florian. He dodged him and ran for the twins in the doorway. The twins. _How?_ He couldn't think of that now. He snatched thin air instead of Florian and went for the twins. The cat grunted and suddenly, a small gust of wind knocked him backwards. Shadow fell into the stove, his elbow knocking the pot over. The hot water flew through the air like a shot, aiming for the hedgehog. Shadow's eyes widened and he kicked off the stove. _Oh, no._

But the water changed direction from the baby hedgehog to the adult one. _Oh, no._ The blast of foamy water smacked Shadow square in the face and thousands of stinging knives seemed to drill into his pores, up his nose, and in his eyes. Then the knives rotated and sliced through fresh areas.

Shadow bellowed an incomprehensible string of curses and wrathful screams. He blinked his watery, bloodshot, and crazed eyes. "THAT IS IT!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks. Dead silence. He scooped up all the babies and one by one, they started crying in his ear. He didn't care. He dumped them all in the playpen, headed for Rouge's room, and slammed the door.

Shadow yelled himself hoarse into one of her pillows. Then he rummaged through her bedside table, pulled out a pistol, removed the safeties, and fired a whole clip into the pistol, reveling in the short high. But destroyed fluff did little to quench his anger and he fell flat onto the bed, ignoring the sounds outside.

* * *

After what felt the better part of an hour, he noticed that the babies had calmed down. He raised his head and spotted Ruby peeking on through the cracked door. He sighed and flipped over. "Come in."

She seemed unsure if she wanted to at first, but shuffled in. "I got Violet to sleep," she said. "The rest are playing." He nodded and buried his tired eyes in his hands. "You okay?" He didn't answer. "Uncle Shadow?"

"Just," he coughed, "trying to figure out what Maria would do."

"Who?"

He flopped down spread-eagled. "Someone I used to know."

She sat beside him. "A friend?"

"More than that," he said. "The only person I felt close to. Before your mom."

"And me?" He looked up at her. "It's just, you talk to me more than you normally talk to others. I thought that meant we were close."

He smirked. "I figured you were scared of me. That's what your Mom always says."

"I am," she said and his brief smile upturned, "but Mom says it's cause you're an intense person. And I haven't been too much lately." He gave a half-hearted laugh. "You're a pretty cool uncle after all."

He moved the pistol to his other side and her eyes followed it. "No, you can't shoot it."

She pouted for a moment. "Fine. But you still are. I like it when you babysit."

"You do?"

"Yeah. You're laid back, don't nag me like my parents, and, I don't know, it feels kind of fun," she said, shrugging.

"Even when it's a disaster?"

She bounced on the bed and stuck out her tongue. "Especially when it's a disaster. I wish you would do it more often." She slowed down, kicking her feet. "You're my favorite babysitter, but you're always away on missions."

He felt a simultaneous swell of pride and shame. She actually did want to spend time with him. "Doing a pretty poor job with them," he said. "Wish your mom was here. Or Maria. She was always good with this stuff." She would've known how to handle the babies and not only keep them calm, but have them view her as a second mother. She was that good.

"You're not doing too bad for your first time with all four," she said. "Mom and Dad tell me all the time they were stressed when I was a baby. Like how Dad once used dry fruit skins as a diaper when he ran out of them and it gave me a rash. Or how Mom left out some diamonds once for a second and I swallowed one."

He chuckled. "I remember that. She flew you to the hospital and they ended up arresting her once they found out the diamonds were stolen."

Ruby's jaw dropped to the floor. "For real?"

He groaned. "Uh, she probably didn't want you to know that."

"What happened?" She scooted closer. "You can tell me. Pleeease? I'll keep it a secret."

He considered it, figuring what more could it hurt? "Well, G.U.N. got her released after a few hours and she had to give back the diamonds once they fished out yours. But she told me something. Something she promised while in her cell."

"What?"

"That if she had to, she would've spent the next ten years in jail and returned every gem she ever stole if it meant you were alright." She looked down at her swinging feet, wearing a thoughtful set of pursed lips. "They care a lot about you. You're even starting to act like your mom."

She mock gasped and shoved him hard. "Am not!"

"Afraid so. You picked up on a lot of what she does and it helped. Thanks."

"Yeah, she knows a lot and I learned when babies want to be fed or changed. And I also use what my dad told me when I don't know what to do for them. 'Always read and assess your opponent and what their body tells you.'"

It was his turn for his mouth to hang open. "Your dad said that? _Your _dad?"

"Why does everyone always act like that?"

"It just seems," _Smart? Wise? Unfitting for his normal fighting?_ "unlike him. Maybe he's changed." He gave her a genuine smile and received one in return. "Anyway, thanks again." He sensed he should do something more and ended up awkwardly patting her head.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, patting his quills playfully. "You're hopeless."

"And you're short," he said, measuring their heights with his hand. "Here," he pulled her up and led her to the living room. "Want to show me some more how your mom takes care of them?"

She beamed. "Alright."

* * *

Rouge arrived home well past midnight and entered the living room, expecting to find Shadow zonked out on the sofa. She was bursting to wake him up and tell him everything that happened tonight.

Indeed, she did find him snoring on the sofa, but scattered around him on the floor were books, toys, game cases, and the playpen with four sleeping babies in it. The television was on and a game paused. Dangling on Shadow's legs were two controllers and laying on his chest was Ruby, drooling with her mouth open wide.

Smiling, Rouge grabbed a blanket from the closet and covered them up. Shadow's hand snapped to her wrist, squeezing it tight, and although half-asleep, he delivered his best death stare. "I won't leave you alone like this again," she whispered. "But would you mind watching Ruby next weekend?" He relaxed and let go, which she took as a yes. "And Sonic and Amy might bring Florian over too—" the grip returned. "Kidding, kidding."

Once he was asleep again, she stroked her daughter's head and in the muted black light from the television, she admired the large diamond on her new ring. She could wait until tomorrow. For now, she was happy that her family was coming together.

**A/N:** Happy birthday, Avalon the Assassin! Hope you and everyone else liked it!

**Sword:** Pen! I want a baby!

**Pen:** No! Let go of me! Agh!

Please, let us know what you thought of this one. If you'll excuse me, I need to get the hose for these two.


	4. Three Times the Fun

**A/N:** Hello, all!

**Sword:** Where's Pen? I can't find him.

Probably knows you're going to ask about babies again.

**Sword:** Phooey. What's wrong with babies?

**Pen:** They're loud.

**Sword:** Gotcha!

First, thank you to soul96961 for his review on the last chapter. So this is the second of two presents for TheAndromedaRose's birthday. As always, Sonic and all related material belongs to Sega. The story, Sword, and Pen belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Thank you.

**Pen:** Get her off of me!

**Three Times the Fun**

Silver lazily twirled his hand in the air, half-watching the twins in their teal glow spin round and round, giggling and pushing one another. Sonic sat beside him on the park bench, holding Florian, who shuffled his legs at a blinding speed one way, twisted around in his father's hold, and crawled the other way. Sonic held him in the air, avoiding the friction burn.

"But what I don't get," Silver said, "is how to keep them from fighting. I always thought twins got along. And sometimes they do. Other times," he caught his son pulling on his sister's quills. "Perry!" He reached out with his power and pried the cat's hands off. "Leave Pearl alone."

"Kids fight," Sonic said, shrugging and standing Florian up, dangling his legs and swinging him back and forth. "Be glad you're past the nonstop crying."

Long sleepless nights of tears in stereo, surrounding him and ringing throughout the castle. Silver shuddered. No one had slept much in those days, least of all him and Blaze. "Yeah."

"And if you ever forget, look at Tails and Cream."

"It's that bad?"

Sonic passed Florian over to Silver, who lifted him into the spinning circle. "Let me put it this way. Tails invented soundproof headphones that are supposed to cancel all sound. They almost do for her, but you have to be in another room."

"Whew, that _is_ bad." Florian clapped and held out his hands to Periwinkle. He clapped Florian's hands again and again. "Could get Shadow to babysit again."

Sonic picked the tip of his ear. "I don't think that's such a good idea. He was," he tapped his lip, "very specific about bringing Florian over again."

"Yeah. Same with them." He checked a nearby clock on a marquee. "Wonder how much longer they'll be gone."

"You know Amy," Sonic said. "She'll want Blaze to look her best for the dignitaries. And she's been hinting that she needs more maternity clothes. We could go catch a movie if you want."

"Sounds like fun. I'll bring some popcorn." The hedgehogs turned and raised their heads high toward Robotnik, perched on the tippy-top of a two-story robot and shielded by a thick glass cover. The walking machine primed its twin cannons on either arm and they glowed red hot. Two smaller, but equally armed robots flanked his side, hovering with helicopter blades. "Now, both of you—"

"Yeah, yeah," Sonic said, standing and stretching the kinks in his back. "'Surrender now or be destroyed.'" He did a pretty good Robotnik impression and the children cheered him. Sonic winked at his son, but Silver didn't like the look of those cannons. "And let me guess," he puffed out his belly and cheeks and folded his hands over his chest. Then he shook his fake rolls and waddled closer. "'These cannons are fast enough to stop even you in your tracks, Sonic! And can overpower any telekinetic blast!' That about cover it?"

Robotnik's cheeks steamed red and his graying mustache bristled. "Two can play that game. Let me show you what a disintegrated hedgehog looks like!" He fired at Sonic and the bench.

Silver dived out of the way with the children. Sonic jumped aside and raised a dangerous finger. "Don't touch the kids."

"Ooo, did I hit a soft spot? Get the children," he told his robots. "I'll take Sonic."

Silver surrounded the children in a bubble and held it aloft. He waved it right to left, and the flying robot's beady eyes jutted out of their heads and followed it. He pushed the bubble hard to the left, across the bench, and shot forth a blast from each hand. The robots reacted in time and fired lasers back at him. The blasts hit the robots and he floated out of the way of the lasers.

However, one of the robots had been knocked too close to the children. Perry and Pearl huddled under the bench with Florian and the robot followed their whimpers. Silver swooped down, but the second robot cut him off with quick lasers. Silver circled around it, creating giant comet-shaped energy attacks that punched it back and forth. But the thing kept coming.

The first robot pushed the bench over, targeted the children, and opened its chassis. A metal cage sprang out, capturing them. Then it lifted the cage and placed it on its head like a crown.

"Sonic!" Silver called. Sonic saw the children and rushed between Robotnik's legs. He ran up the side of the robot, dodging the flailing arms, and reached for the cage. In a blur, he had one hand on the bars as Robotnik fired at the robot. It burst apart, throwing Sonic and the cage in opposite directions.

The cage headed for Silver. He stretched his mind, slowing its momentum, but a stray laser singed his quills, breaking the concentration. The second robot tried to grab it, but its clumsy arms fumbled the cage, knocking it into the air. It went after the cage until Silver stopped it and threw it at Sonic.

Curling into a sharp, spinning ball, Sonic jumped and cut the robot in half. Silver dashed after the cage as it soared over some buildings, but Robotnik shot at him, separating him from the cage. When Silver tried to duck under the lasers, Robotnik hit a rooftop, blowing out a corner and striking Silver with falling debris. He managed to fly around most, although a couple tiny chunks struck his head.

The stones fell to the concrete below toward some pedestrians. Silver grabbed several pieces, throwing them aside into the park's lake. Sonic pushed any people still in danger out of the way and the rest of the debris crashed into the ground.

Silver started after the direction the cage flew in, but heard a strange hum below. Out of the fallen machines, a couple dozen smaller bee-shaped robots rose from the wreckage. "After them! Find those brats!" Robotnik said to the robots. They darted off, zipping around buildings, into alleys, and overhead. A few fired a volley of smaller, stinging lasers at Silver from their needle tails and he took cover behind a shop sign.

He grabbed one robot with his power, clenched his fist, and crushed it until its engine popped. The rest had joined the search by then.

The hedgehogs turned to Robotnik, but his own robot's legs had tucked themselves into the main body and the knees' panels opened. Jet fire burst out, lifting him higher. "So long, hedgehogs! I'm sure your children will make great test subjects for a new prototype!" He threw his head back and laughed as the legs folded up further so that the knees faced behind him. Then he zoomed off for the cage.

Sonic ran up the side of a building and stopped on the roof next to Silver. "Let's hurry."

"Right."

* * *

They found the cage dangling from a flagpole. It was bent and busted open, with the door facing the sidewalk. Silver feared to peek over the edge, but was relieved to see the sidewalk was clear of anything. He figured Perry must've slowed their descent. However, that left the question of where they were.

"Split up?" Sonic asked.

"Sure."

Yet he stopped when he heard a loud crash, followed by a "What was that?!" from the sports bar across the street. They hurried in and found the few patrons quivering behind overturned tables while several bees roamed the bar. The bartender held a broom up, swinging at one of the robots and it shot at him, setting the broom ablaze.

In the corner of the room, Florian crawled past like a mouse escaping a cat. The bees swarmed after him, lasers going off. "Hey! Don't shoot my kid!" Sonic said. One turned on him and he grabbed a drink tray. The laser burned right through the plastic and he threw it at the bee. It wavered in the air, but came right back.

Silver lifted a table and threw his hands over his head. The table's surface flipped and smashed the bee into the wall. That got the others' attention.

Jumping and curling into a ball, Sonic bounced into the bees, one after another. Silver picked up empty bottles and threw them like darts into the robots on the other side of a glass barrier. _Crack, crrk, crack, crrk, crack, crrk!_ All were down for the count.

Sonic found Florian under a table, sniffing a broken bottle and about to lick the little drink left inside. "Whoa, now," he said, picking up Florian and smiling, "your mom would kill me if you drank that." He took a whiff of the bottle as well. "Besides, doesn't smell good anyway."

"I heard that," the bartender said, stamping the flames out of his broom.

Sonic nosed his son's stomach and Florian laughed. "I don't suppose any of you happened to see a pair of twins?" Silver asked the bar. The patrons gave a round of headshakes and he sighed.

"Uh," Sonic tapped his shoulder and pointed at the television in the corner behind the bartender. A news anchor was reporting on an attack at the local aquarium as phone footage submitted to the station played beside him. The footage showed two bees carrying a small hedgehog before two waves of water slapped them away and the hedgehog fell into a water tank. The camera zoomed out and Silver's stomach dropped.

A shark tank.

* * *

Sonic may have been the fastest hedgehog alive, but Silver gave him a run for his money as he flew to the aquarium. He blew through the police barrier outside, pushed through the screaming crowd racing for the exit, and into the lobby. Sonic hopped over people's heads and landed beside him, with Florian tugging on his ears.

He scanned the different signs. Manatee, octopus, stingrays, "Sharks!" He ran into the shark hall and went by large cases that gave impressive views of the tanks the sharks lived in.

As he skidded around a corner, he saw a tiny blue-silver figure sitting at the bottom of a tank. He rushed to the glass and banged on it. "Pearl!" The baby sucked her thumb and grinned at her father.

Silver looked around the edge of the window display and inside, wondering if there was some kind of door. He caught sight of a plaque on the side with the shark type on display. _Goblin shark?_ He skimmed a little of the description below and the "highly protrusible jaws" and "nail-like teeth" parts stuck out to him.

Sonic found him as a dark shadow swam above Pearl. A long, ugly snout appeared and then a set of teeth beneath it, like someone had smashed two mismatched shark types of different lengths together, separated by what looked like large gums. It was hideous and it was heading right for Pearl.

Up on the tank's surface, the bees entered the water, shooting lasers at the shark. It turned its tail on Pearl and went after them, its jaws opened wide. It chomped one robot to pieces and the others exchanged one glance with each other and whizzed away. The shark gave chase, snatching more between its teeth.

On some level, logic dictated that Silver find some stairs to the top or some kind of door. But as he looked between the robotic carnage and his baby sitting there, waiting for the shark to finish off Robotnik's drones, desperation overruled. Sonic grabbed his shoulder, trying to stop him, but it was too late. Silver formed a large teal hand before him and drew it back.

Sonic ran out of the hall with Florian as Silver smashed through the glass. Water gushed into the empty hall and he created a bubble around himself. The water broke around him and crashed into the wall behind him with such force that it knocked pieces off, then ran down both ends of the hall.

In the middle of the rush, Pearl rode the waves, forming a disc beneath her. Right behind her was the shark, flailing and splashing in the water. The few robots left whirred and screeched behind it, unable to break out of the waves.

All were coming up fast to Silver's bubble. To catch his daughter, he would have to dissolve his bubble shield, letting in the water, the shark, and the robots if he wasn't careful. Pearl slowed down as she neared him, still sucking her thumb, while the shark seemed to speed up.

_Wait for it_, Silver told himself. His feet tingled and jitters bounced along his fingers, refusing to let him steady them. He had to time this right.

Pearl was a few feet away. _Almost._ So was the shark. _Almost._

Her disc touched his bubble and threw her forward. He dissolved his shield and caught her as he raised to the roof. The shark and robots crashed into the wall, loosening large chunks out of it. Silver checked Pearl, running fingers through her quills, lifting her limbs, stretching her face until he was satisfied there wasn't a scratch on her.

"Thank goodness," he said, kissing her forehead. She gurgled and nestled into his furry chest.

Below, the shark whipped the robots with its tail and tried to spin around, snapping its teeth. Silver tucked Pearl between his upper arms and held out both his hands. With much concentration, he gathered together the spilled water and pushed it, with the shark and robots, back into the tank. Some was left behind, but there was enough for the shark to survive for now. Then he sealed it with any glass left behind. For any remaining holes, he plugged them with bits of wall.

Sonic returned shortly after, his shoes squishing in the water. "Ugh, I hate wet shoes," he said, shaking his feet. He lifted each, twirling his foot around in circles to dry them. "Any sign of Perry?"

"No," Silver said. "But he can't be far."

Sonic snapped his fingers. "I got an idea. C'mon," he said, heading for the exit. "I'm sure Robotnik's goons will know where he went. We find them, we find Perry."

It sounded solid, so Silver followed him. Pearl twisted in his arms and waved farewell to the shark as it enjoyed its new toys.

* * *

Blaze didn't mind shopping. It could be quite relaxing and fun to go out, enjoy some quiet time from the castle, and find new things to buy or browse through. But as she looked at the ever-growing pile of dresses that Amy heaped onto the bench beside the dressing room, she realized she had her limits. And this was the fourth store they had been to.

Amy stopped and dropped the clothes she was carrying and fawned over the red dress Blaze had tried on. "Oh, you will knock them dead in this," she said. "Turn around, turn around." Blaze did so. This was one was very comfortable and it felt like the right length. Not too long to drag on the ground like other queens and their gowns, but not too short either.

She saw a hint of envious longing in Amy's eyes, which is why when Amy shoved a purple one into her hands and said, "Here, try this one next," she held her sigh and agreed. All Amy had bought were sweatpants and a couple of large sweaters and t-shirts. The pink hedgehog had to sit down again, cradling her stomach. "I'll wait out here."

"Okay," Blaze said and entered the dressing room. But she hadn't even removed a strap before she heard a shriek from the middle of the store. Both women stood up on their tip-toes and saw a rack full of jeans fly up in a gust of wind.

A buzzing noise like a gnat rose above the screams and a second later, a flying robot sped toward the disturbance. Another gust of wind blew it backwards and a silver-blue figure slid across the rug, the tiled path separating clothing sections, and toward Blaze.

"Perry?"

The baby stopped at her feet and tilted his head back. "Mah-mah-mah." She picked him up and he shoved his hands into her cheeks.

The robot recovered and flew for Perry. Blaze channeled a quick fireball and blasted it, exploding the robot in mid-air. The fiery shards burned several clothes, but everyone was unhurt.

However, more buzzing bogies entered the store, saw their fallen comrade, and focused on Blaze and Amy. "I think it's time to go," Amy said.

"Yeah."

One of the robots fired its lasers and the others rushed them. "Get going!" Amy said, summoning her hammer. She reflected the lasers off the gold finished ends, stumbling back a bit. But the lasers destroyed two foes. She whacked a third out of the air before she took a knee, sucking air through her teeth.

"Hold him," Blaze said, passing Perry off to her.

"Sure thing."

Blaze threw fireball after fireball at the robots, but they had learned and were dodging them. All she was doing was punching holes in the ceiling and they kept gunning for Perry and Amy. She had to draw their fire.

She hopped onto the top of a clothes rack, perched on the tips of her shoes, and leapt from rack to rack for one robot. It fired at her and backed away. She faked left, it went right, and so did she. She jabbed a fist of flame into its eyes, destroyed the systems within, and a large shard burst outwards at her.

The last three took notice and finally targeted her. Blaze held her hands behind her and expelled a large amount of fire, taking off like a rocket and disintegrating any clothes in the area. She flew straight at the robots, dipping and diving through their gunfire.

She circled them, creating a tight sphere of fire around them, closing it more and more until there was no room left for them to move. Then she blasted through them, burning them in her wake and throwing the robots through her sphere. They plummeted like meteorites and whined as they rolled around on the ground, trying in vain to put out the fire.

Amy had recovered and handed Perry back to Blaze. "Nice job," she said.

"You too," she said, letting Perry tug on her ear. "But you really shouldn't push yourself so hard."

"Amy!"

"Blaze!"

Silver and Sonic skidded to a halt in front of them, both out of breath and sporting a few bruises. Sonic examined Amy and helped her sit down. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Meanwhile, Silver was ecstatic to see Perry. "You're safe!" He took him from Blaze and hugged both of the twins, nuzzling their cheeks. "Thank goodness."

"Yes, he is," Blaze said, cocking an eyebrow. "Mind telling us what's going on?" She soon got her answer when the ground rumbled outside the store.

* * *

In the mall's plaza, Robotnik had landed in the middle of the food court and water fountain, scattering the people around it. He leaned forward in his seat, grinding his teeth. "Come out and face me, hedgehog!" he said, grabbing an ice cream vendor's cart and throwing it through a restaurant's window.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Sonic asked, running outside with Silver and Blaze. "Are they all out of Rocky Road?"

He glared daggers at Sonic, but then noticed Blaze. "Wait, you had the children," he said and Silver saw him put two and two together. Sonic did as well and moved quietly closer to the entrance of the store. "Which means we must have the whole family together. Why not let the missus come out, Sonic?"

Robotnik punched through the department store's sign. "Hey! Leave her alone!" Sonic hopped on his long arm and ran along it to the shoulder. Robotnik swatted his elbow, missing Sonic by inches. From below, Amy yelled, "Sonic!" as the robotic arm retracted, throwing more debris around.

"Amy!" He jumped off the arm, curled into a buzz saw ball, and hit the cockpit's cover. It was slow going and would take too long. So he abandoned the cockpit and cut into the retracting arm's wrist. Robotnik clapped his other hand on the wrist, but Sonic broke through the bulky cannons, slicing them at the base so they hung loose and useless. He landed on the ground, panting and wobbly. "Ugh, that smarts."

Distracted and dizzy long enough, Robotnik's large hand swatted him into the store. Silver and Blaze stepped in for him. "Oh, this should be fun," Robotnik said. "You two think you can stop me?"

He fired lasers at them and Silver threw up a reflective shield. The lasers bounced back as Robotnik punched his damaged hand into the ground. The pair jumped aside and Blaze directed flames into the broken cannons, cooking the circuits. The arm twitched and sputtered and Robotnik had to yank it hard from the floor. He tried raising it, but it lifted limply.

"Together we can," Silver said. Blaze conjured a snaking rail of fire that wound round Robotnik's machine while Silver covered it in a teal glow. They hopped on, grinding along the makeshift rail and up, up, curving around the machine until they reached the cockpit.

Silver focused on the sliver Sonic had created and pried it open with all his might. Blaze held the tip of the flame rail at the opening. "Ready to give up?" Blaze asked.

Robotnik couldn't hit the eject button fast enough. He disappeared from view as the flames filled the cockpit, melting everything inside. The doctor popped out of the machine's back in his Eggmobile and hovered high out of their reach.

The robot collapsed into the fountain with a _fwoosh!_ and Silver and Blaze floated back down. Sonic and Amy were waiting for them with all the kids in their arms. A golf ball size welt was growing behind Sonic's ear, although he promised he was fine. "Nothing to it. Just got to get my bearings," he said, sitting on a bench.

Silver and Blaze took the twins, hugging each other and them. "Not too bad," Blaze said.

"Hey!" Robotnik called to them. "Here's a parting gift!" Suddenly, his fallen machine sprang up, swinging its limbs wildly with no clear target.

"Get down!" Sonic yelled.

A large gust of wind knocked the robot backwards, tipping it on one foot back to the fountain. Then a snake-like water strand uncoiled from the fountain waters and struck the cockpit, wiggling deep into the robot. Electricity snapped and jumped around the robot moments later and it collapsed, smoke billowing from its joints.

Robotnik cursed them and jetted off. "Next time! I _will_ get them next time!"

The parents looked from the fountain's geysers sprinkling water on the robot to Perry and Pearl, pushing one another and pulling each other's fur. Behind them, the rest of the store's sign crumbled and crashed in front of the entrance.

"You know," Sonic said to Silver as he separated his twins again, "maybe it's not so bad if they fight."

Pearl giggled and Perry clapped, saying, "Ya-ya-ya-ya."

**A/N:** Whew! That had a lot of action!

**Pen:** Yes. Good thing it distracted Sword from babies.

**Sword:** I wanna have a giant robot battle! Yeah! *steals one and chases after Pen* Get one too, Pen!

As always, thank you for reading and please let us know what you thought of the story. Sword! Watch out!

**Sword:** En garde, you two! Stomp! Smash!


	5. Father-Daughter Time

**A/N:** Hello all!

**Sword:** Yay! Another one of these! Let's do it!

**Pen:** Calm down, you ninny. He hasn't even done the beginning bit.

Right. Knuckles and all Sonic related characters belong to Sega. The story, Sword, and Pen belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Thank you.

**Sword:** Story! Story! Story! Story!

Please enjoy.

**Father-Daughter Time**

"Are we almost done yet?" Ruby asked, her hand twitching for the handheld game in her pocket. She kept a finger held on the knot of vines her father tied to the altar's column and removed it when he finished the bow. "It's hot."

Knuckles wiped his soaked forehead and stood up, admiring their work. "Yes, almost," he said. The red echidna gave their newest contraption a once-over. "We just need to test it."

He bent down, tugging at the vine tied between the two rising, sandy-stained columns. Suddenly, two piles of grass and giant palm leaves rustled behind them and nets with weights on the ends launched into the air. Knuckles pulled Ruby out of the way and the nets landed harmlessly at the top of the steps.

"That should do it," Knuckles said, proud of their design. The Master Emerald floated in the middle of the altar, completely untouched and shining brighter than the sunny cloudless sky over Angel Island. "What do you think, Bat Jr.?"

"Dad," Ruby said, drawing it into a whine and pushing his hip. "Won't anyone be able to just step over it?"

"Yes, but they'll step on the trap panels," he said, then pointed to floor and the four thick columns at the points of the altar. "Panels in a square all around the floor that launch boulders from the columns, remember? Unless you know where to step. Foolproof."

"Uh, yeah," she said. Knuckles didn't notice her unconvinced tone. "Sounds great."

He nodded. "Not to mention our other little surprises for any intruders. And any trap will rattle the trees, shaking the Rainbow Parrots in the branches, and we'll hear their squawking. Once Tails finishes the sensors and stun lasers, this place will be locked down tight." He reached out to pat her head. "We did good." But he swiped thin air. Ruby was already entering his hut. His smile dropped and he sighed, giving the Master Emerald one last check, resetting the net trap, then following her.

When he entered the hut, Ruby already sat at the only table inside, her face shoved in her puzzle game and a small electric fan on the table, which did little to cool the hut. Although usually a shade darker than Knuckles, the sun had burned Ruby good, creating deep red splotches on her neck and arms. Her wings sagged at her side, barely flapping to keep her back cool, and her tank top clung to her body.

The living room didn't hold much more than the table besides some tools, supplies to patch up the hut, a few makeshift spears and gloves, and some toys and board games Ruby had brought and forgotten there during her visits when she was younger. A bed was shoved in the corner, with the pillow positioned properly to look out a window with a perfect view of the Master Emerald.

The living room-bedroom combo merged into a kitchenette with a basin of water, cupboards stocked with colorful fruit from the island, and some jarred juice from fruits and berries that Knuckles squeezed himself. The only part of the hut separated from the rest was the small, one-person restroom at the divide between the kitchen and living room.

Knuckles took a seat at the table and sighed. "Hey, I'm sorry about today."

"It's okay," Ruby mumbled, her game chiming as she played.

"I'm serious. I wanted to avoid coming today, but the sensors Tails made were too large and very loud. It would've disturbed the wildlife here."

"It's okay," she said again, absent-mindedly.

"Hey, can you put the game down?" Knuckles covered the screen and stuck out his tongue, teasing her. "How can you see? You can't see! Can't see!"

"Nooo! Dad! Stop it!" She slapped at his hand, but paused the game and set it down, giving him her full attention.

"We could go do something," he said. "Like a walk through the jungle."

"It's too hot," she said, plopping her head on the table as close to the fan as possible.

"We could go to Angel Lake."

"I don't feel like it."

"Well, I found some ruins a few weeks ago," he said. She perked up at that and he jumped on the opening. "It's a short walk from here. Has a lot of ancient text on the wall from my tribe, describing some of their way of life and how the old city looked."

As soon as her interest piqued, it was gone in a flash. "Oh."

"What?"

"Nothing," she said. "I just thought it might be like the stories I've heard Uncle Sonic tell about the Mystic Ruins. Lots of traps to get through and dangers that guard hidden treasure."

Knuckles frowned. There was a twinkle of Rouge's jewelry ambition in her eyes and he didn't approve of that. He internally cursed Rouge ever bringing their daughter on her "late night outings" to banks, high-rise penthouses, and shops. Even the security testing contracts she had been taking more and more over thievery during the last few years. They had planted a seed in Ruby that, despite his best efforts to nip at the stem, continued to sprout like a weed.

"No treasure," he said. "However, there is a lot about our tribe that I didn't know. For example, did you know we're sitting right where the barracks of the old city used to be?"

"Really?" she said, glancing at her game.

"Yeah. So what do you say? Want to come see it? There's some pretty cool murals as well."

"Thanks," she said, picking up her game. "Pass though."

"Hey," he said, covering her game screen, "you should show some interest. It's important and part of our history."

She ripped the game away from him and turned in her chair. "No, Dad. It's part of _your_ history."

"Yours too," he said. "You're my daughter, which makes you a part of the tribe."

"Great," she said, rolling her eyes. "So you're saying I'll be stuck guarding the stupid emerald too someday?"

On one hand, anger immediately riled in his chest that she held contempt for such an honorable position. On the other, years with Rouge had trained his instincts to spot a loaded question a mile away and navigate around it. "That emerald is sacred and helps this island thrive," he said, choosing his words carefully, but tightening his fists. "It's a sworn duty of the entire line from our tribe to protect it at all costs."

"Well, I didn't swear it," she said. "I'm not doing it."

"I'm not saying you have to do it today. You know, maybe one day in the future, you could consider it?" he said hopefully, but his request fell on deaf ears. She still didn't raise her head from her game and his spirits sank. "Would you look at me when I'm talking to you, please?" He reached for her and she spun further in her seat. "Put down the game for a moment. Ru-Ruby, put it down." He was almost climbing onto the table. "Ruby, please put it down. Ruby!"

He snatched the game out of her hands. She whined, hands outstretched, grabbing at it and swatting at his arms. "Hey! That's mine!"

"Ruby, would you listen?"

"Listen to what?" she asked. "Listen to you go on about how much you love that emerald? You lied!" That froze him. "You lied to the therapist. Remember? You said you were going to spend more time with us!"

"That's not fair," he said, holding her game high above her head. She jumped for it, forgetting her wings in frustration. "I'm doing the best I can. When Tails finishes the sensors, then—"

"He's finished the sensors four times already!" she said. "I heard Mom talk about it. You keep nitpicking them."

He huffed and a shout welled in his throat. The heat wasn't helping matters either and only cooked his temper hotter. Although logic and reason screamed and pounded on his senses not to drag Rouge into this, his boiling blood won out. "Your mother doesn't know what she's talking about! She would sooner steal the Master Emerald than protect it! I have to make sure the sensors are just right, to prevent the emerald from falling into the wrong hands."

"How? With your dumb traps?" she said. "I could get through those traps! _Florian_ could get through those traps! Shut up about your traps!" She kicked, hitting the dirt floor more than anything else, and threw up dust. Then she was out the door like a shot, running for the altar.

"Ruby!" Knuckles dropped the game and chased her to the altar steps. _What is she thinking?_ She bounded up the steps two at a time and Knuckles leapt into the air, gliding as fast as possible to her. "Ruby! Stay away from there! It's dangerous!" Arms straight out, he curved, trying to block her path in time. _Come on! Come on!_

"No, it's not! Watch!" She jumped over the trip line they had set-up, then skipped from one block of the floor to the next, flying when a jump was too wide. She landed a bit wobbly and off-balance next to the Master Emerald, but otherwise unscathed. Then turned in a flourish and raised her arms in expected applause. "See?"

"Ruby!" he flew close to the Master Emerald, but she was already heading back to the steps. "Stay put!"

"It's easy," she said, ignoring him. She put one finger on the taut trip line they set-up and tugged it. The nets launched and she jumped closer to the Master Emerald, missing them completely. They caught Knuckles instead, weighing him down to the ground. When he fell, the floor beneath him sagged into the stone.

_What the—?_ Slabs of stone sliding against stone echoed to his sides and he flipped around. The inner side of the two altar columns closest to him unfolded into chutes and collapsed with a _boom!_ on the ground as large boulders rolled down them. _Oh, no._

"Dad!" Ruby shouted, eyes wide and paralyzed in fear.

"Stay back!" he said, dodging one boulder. It crashed into the second boulder, sending it off-course and for the Master Emerald. Ruby deftly avoided both and flew to the edge of the altar.

From the tops of the columns, a _whish, whish_ noise preceded a large wall of tangled vines spinning in wide arcs around the columns. "Woah!" Ruby flew higher and between the walls of vines. From the shuddering trees around the altar, beautiful birds painted all sorts of colors flew together, creating a moving rainbow and screeching a warning at the intruders. Ruby glided beneath them and landed.

Knuckles wasn't as lucky. He jumped in front of the wild boulder, bracing himself between it and the emerald. The vine wall caught him in the back, throwing him into the boulder. He raised his arms and the boulder smacked into his hands, pushing him backwards. The impact rattled his fingers down to his feet and his bones cried in pain.

He drew back a fist, punching the boulder and stopping its momentum, several feet away from the Master Emerald. Unfortunately, his feet dropped beneath him on another panel filled with finger-sized holes. Knuckles leapt back as stone spikes, made of the sturdiest stone on the island, shot up with a _shnk!_ through the holes. One caught the edge of his shoe, missing his little toe, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Now far from the vines and the spikes, he rested against the Master Emerald on its raised pedestal in the center. When he glared at Ruby, she seemed worried. Then he noticed the metal tubes no thicker than a soda can and standing as tall as the pedestal. They surrounded the pedestal at its four corners and little barrels popped out of either end of each tube.

Knuckles was in the air and on top of the Master Emerald as soon as fire erupted from the barrels. The tubes spun round and round, the flames dancing in perfect choreography down below. _Kind of wish Tails wouldn't always build his inventions so perfect._

Knuckles rocked on his feet, watching the spinning vine walls _whoosh!_ by. _Have to time this right_. Otherwise, he would land right in the middle of his traps again and this time, he may not make it back to safety. He backed up to the edge of the Master Emerald, bending low and hiking his back in a runner's stance. His toes twitched, ready as he watched the wall pass once. Twice. Thrice. Four times.

_Go already!_

He ran forward, jumped in the air, and flew over his traps, all while roaring at the top of his lungs, as if it would propel him faster. He flipped on his side in the air, snaking around the spinning vines. Back and forth, back and forth. He had this. He had—

One of the walls clipped him, throwing him into the other vine wall. He tried to steer away, but it caught him, throwing him in circles on its edge until he pried himself off. Knuckles went sailing into the jungle, crashing into one tree after another. His fall was cushioned by some bushes with razor-sharp teeth lining their edges. He yelped and jumped out of the mass of green, crawling towards the altar and collapsing at the treeline.

"Dad!" Ruby skidded to his side. "Dad! Are you okay?" He groaned in response. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—I was only trying to—"

He raised his hand, silencing her, then crawled to a tree trunk, pulling himself up. It took several tries and Ruby bent to help, but he waved her off. Once upright, he took a deep breath and checked himself. Scratches and bruises all over. Nothing some ointment and bandages at home wouldn't cure. Otherwise, nothing broken.

"Dad," she said.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, checking her from head to toe. She seemed fine. Not even a nick from a trap.

"I'm good, I'm good."

A stern look shoved anything on her lips back down her throat and he swung his arms, taking deep breaths as the traps deactivated one by one. He hobbled pass Ruby, trying not to look in her worried eyes. _Don't yell. Don't yell. That will only make it worse._ "Good," he said.

"I wasn't trying to hurt anything," she said. "I just wanted you to see," his frown faltered her words and the rest dripped out one by one, like a leaky faucet, "that I could get past them."

_Don't yell. Don't yell._

"Which I did," she said, a bit of hope in her voice.

_Don't—_"YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" he said, exploding so loud he scared the birds away. His throat was hoarse with his shout and his body ached with the force, but he plowed through it. "Do you have any idea what that would've done to me? And your mom?" She looked at her shoes, ashamed and twisting them in the grass. "What on Mobius were you thinking?"

"I know. I'm sorry," she said. "I'm really, really sorry."

He raised a commanding glove and pointed it at her. "You," he said in a final tone, "are not to go anywhere near the Master Emerald or its altar again. Do I make myself clear?" She nodded and sniffed, wiping her nose. He turned around, continuing to walk to the hut with her in tow. "And no more games. Those are gone until I say so." No argument. "And no more trips with Mom to her robberies."

To his surprise, and disdain, that actually got to her. "What? That's not fair!" she said, stomping her foot. "I want to spend time with her!"

"And you can in any other way. But I'm _not_ going to have you grow up to be like your mom," he said.

"What? Someone who tries to do stuff I want to do? Fun stuff? Someone who _wants_ to spend time with her kids?"

His face darkened, but she stood up to him. "Now that's not true and you know it."

"Could've fooled me," she said, crossing her arms. "You don't even try to spend time with me and Mom. Something else always comes first"

"I want to spend time with you two, but I have my responsibilities to the Master Emerald."

Her expression twisted into ugly disgust. "Again with that stupid emerald! Shut up about it! Maybe I will become a thief like Mom and steal that emerald! All your traps suck!"

"Over my dead body!" he roared.

"I hate this island! I hate this heat! I hate the Master Emerald and I hate you!" Then she spread her red leather wings and took to the sky, disappearing somewhere over the jungle.

"Ruby!" Knuckles yelled and tried to chase after her, but his sores stopped him in his tracks. No chance of catching up to her like this. _She knows the island_, he reasoned to himself._ First ointment. Then go after her._

* * *

After he carefully bandaged himself with a mixture of natural ointment concocted from the local vegetation and strips of bark and vines he had sheared down to almost like linen, Knuckles set out after Ruby. It didn't take long to find her angry trail of fallen leaves and footprints stamped into the ground. Shorter still to track her to a hole in the ground, with steps leading to an old corridor lit by torches. Above ground, the hole was topped by a stone roof that had been mostly covered by grass, save for a white stone column poking out of overgrowth here and there.

The ruins he had discovered.

Knuckles descended the stairs and grabbed one of the torches, holding it out in front of him. "Ruby!" he called. He pressed on, passing by ancient paintings and carvings of the tribe before him. One depicted a great battle, with the chief in a magnificent headdress leading the charge against a group of invaders. Another was covered in symbols and faded text around an echidna with no real features.

The corridor forked into two and each end went round and round, leading him to different rooms. In one circular chamber, he found Ruby, mumbling to herself and reading some of the text on the wall. Above the text was a painting of the sun, moon, and stars split in half, along with Angel Island holding up the Master Emerald while the seven Chaos Emeralds surrounded it. In the middle of the chamber, a round wooden wheel like a ship's helm on its side raised from the stone floor, which was etched with circles like ripples in a pond spreading out from the pedestal. All along the walls were shelves, with a small set of stairs leading to a second story. Only a few dusty scrolls were left here and there on the shelves.

Ruby growled and hit the wall with her first. Knuckles raised his torch to the text. "Ruby," he said. She turned and shuffled a few feet away, her head hung in shame. "Ruby, what are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "Nothing."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Look, ah, I'm sorry about yelling. It, well, it wasn't that," he wiped his face, wondering how to explain this delicately. He finally settled on, "You had me worried after your stunt. But I'm sorry for blowing up."

Ruby nodded, rubbing her arm. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gone up there."

He looked around, unsure what else to say and turned to the text she had been pondering over. "So, did you find something?" He had explored this room days ago, but hadn't found much of note.

She raised her head, surprised that he wasn't upset. "I think. That bit over there," she said, pointing at the text, "talks about how this place was a library."

"Yeah," he said. He had read as much during his search. The scrolls on the shelves were pieces from complete works, the rest of which were missing.

"But there's some parts below that I don't know."

"Well, it has been a while since I taught you any of the old language," he said, reading the carvings himself.

"It's not that. It's weird words that don't make any sense and some I never learned."

"Let's see then." He stared at the text, murmuring and repeating the sentences again and again. "Well, you are right," he said finally. "It doesn't make much sense."

"What does it say?"

He hummed to himself. "It says:

_This House of Knowledge and Wisdom you do seek_

_Was founded round the bend of the morning bird speak_

_We turn to the seven stones of power_

_And study in our twisting towers_

Knuckles paused for a moment, tilting his head. "That's the worst poem I've ever read."

Ruby's eyes lit up in the light and she tapped the text. "Dad, it's a riddle!"

"A what?"

"A riddle!" She ran to the pedestal and blew the dust off it. "Look!" At the edge of the pedestal was an arrow pointed straight at the paintings and text. "Didn't you notice in the riddle? 'Round', 'turn', 'twist'? We're supposed to spin this!"

"Okay." He passed her his torch, grabbed hold of the wheel's spokes, and twisted it around. Nothing happened.

Ruby rubbed her chin. "There's more to this. I know it. The first part. '_Was founded round the bend of the morning bird speak_'." It was endearing to watch her mind work, almost like Tails drawing up his schematics. "What morning birds are on the island?"

"Plenty," he said. "The Yellow-Tailed Swallow, the Fisher King," he said, listing off the exclusive birds to the island that he had named.

"Is there one that you hear first thing in the morning?"

"Yes, the Spotted White Beak," he said. "They fly out to the West River every morning."

"West River. 'Bend'," she whispered in awe. "How many bends does the West River have?"

"Uh, four," he said.

"Turn the wheel four times to the left until the arrow points at the paintings again." He did and stopped dead on the arrow pointing to the text on the last spin. As the fourth rotation finished, a _click_ sounded nearby, like a stone lock opening.

He smiled. "Look at you go. What next?"

"Easy. '_We turn to the seven stones of power_'. Seven turns to the right." Another _click!_ Knuckles couldn't help his excitement and prodded her for the next solution. She paced the floor around the wheel. " 'Twisting towers', 'twisting towers'. How many libraries were there?"

"Just this one, as far as I know."

"Were there any towers in the city?"

"No. They never built anything higher than the palace." He racked his memory for anything in the scrolls or wall text he had found. There hadn't been much description of the architecture. Some vague estimates and general placements. He studied the text, re-reading it and mumbling to himself. His gaze meandered up to the paintings, following the trail of Chaos Emeralds to the Master Emerald in the center. The Master Emerald on the—

"Altar!" Knuckles and Ruby shouted the answer at the same time. Four spins to the left again and a final _click!_ With that, the ground rumbled all around them, the circular panels descending. Knuckles pulled Ruby to his side and the stones rumbled and groaned, shaking off age-old dust and dirt until they formed a set of wide stairs leading down to a lower floor.

"Woah," Ruby said. Knuckles merely nodded and took his torch, holding it close to the stairs. He carefully stepped onto the first step, testing his weight. It stayed firm and nothing moved.

"Okay," he said. "Follow a step behind me. Run back up here if something happens."

"Alright." Slowly, they followed the stairs down to a deep, dark chamber below. Once at the bottom, Knuckles located several unlit torches on the wall. As he walked around the chamber lighting them, his jaw dropped further and further.

Shelves upon shelves of scrolls and tomes surrounded them. The ribbons and seals tying the scrolls had long crumbled apart and the tomes were cracked and weathered by time. He opened one scroll, skimming through it. "I don't believe it."

"What?" Ruby asked.

"It's a story," he said. "One my father told me about. He didn't remember all of it and made up parts. But it was about a father losing his daughter in the jungle. A story parents used to tell their children about not wandering off. The whole thing, right here!"

He pulled out a tome, coughing and wheezing as dust burst into his face. When he opened it, all the text was more or less intact. He turned page after page, hardly daring to believe what he held in his hands.

"Dad?" Ruby asked, coming over to him and peering in the book. "What is it?"

"This," he said, flipping another page, "is a genealogy of every member of the tribe. And look," he pointed out a section to her. "This, this right here is our family. My father, his father before him, and his father before him. All guardians."

"All of them?"

"Well, most. Some of our family had other jobs. One was a soldier. Another was a farmer. It says another here was," he paused and his voice dropped. "A treasure hunter."

"Like Mom?"

"Uh," he read some more, "not quite. More like an adventurer." But there was that sparkle in her eyes that he dreaded.

"That's so cool!" she said.

"Yeah." He closed the tome, staring at the symbols of text etched on its cover and looked around the room. This room was his history. Their history. He couldn't believe it and choked. He quickly beat his chest, clearing his throat and turning from his daughter for a moment. Then he knelt down.

"Ruby," he said, holding her shoulder. "Thank you." He lifted the tome and set it back on the shelf. "You don't, you don't know how much this means to me."

She beamed and hugged him. "You're welcome."

He returned the hug and felt compelled that he should be honest with her. "Hey, listen." He pulled away from her. "I didn't only yell earlier about the traps. That was part of it, but well, I'm afraid. I'm afraid you might want to follow your mom's path. I'm sorry I brought her into this. I shouldn't talk about her like that. Your mom has a good heart, just," _Loose morals?_ "My point is, if I seem to push you hard toward being a guardian, it's because I wanted to keep you from that. But I want you to be you."

"Dad."

"Being a guardian, well, it's what my family line has always expected and instilled in everyone. It's what my father did to me, but when it's all said and done, I still chose this. I don't want to choose for you. You should choose for yourself and not be forced into something you aren't meant for."

"Dad," she tried again.

He shook his head. "I know, I don't always see eye to eye with your Mom and I won't pretend I like you going out with her on her late-night activities. However, if that's your calling, then that's your choice. I may not like it or support it, but I support your free will and your ability to choose. Just please promise me you'll be careful. I'm still your father and I don't want you to get hurt. You know what can happen on—"

"Dad!" Ruby shouted, cutting him off. "I don't want to be a thief."

He blinked. "What?"

"I never wanted to be a thief. I don't care about jewels and treasure."

"Wait, then why did you make such a big deal when I said you couldn't go with her?"

She shrugged. "I like spending time with you guys. And I like getting to the jewels, not really the jewels themselves."

He scratched his scalp. "You lost me."

"Well, I like figuring out how to get past all the security, the lasers, the traps." She walked around the chamber, admiring all the shelves stacked upon shelves. "Stuff like this is cool too, but I liked the riddle upstairs more. Or helping you plan all the ways to protect the Master Emerald, guarding against anybody who could come to steal it in any way."

"So, that means, uh," he dropped his chin in his palm, "what _does_ that mean?"

Another shrug. "I like puzzles. Solving them is a lot of fun."

"Puzzles?" _Puzzles?_ Figuring out how to protect the Master Emerald and set traps to protect it. Her excitement over the riddle. Going with Rouge on robberies and never once mentioning how large and shiny the gems were like Rouge did. It all fell into place, with the final puzzle piece. _Her puzzle video game._

He laughed, doubling over, unable to believe he couldn't see it when it was staring him right in the face. Whether relief or laughing at himself, who could say, but he laughed harder the more he thought about it.

"Dad?" Ruby shook him and helped him to his feet. "What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing," he said, trying to regain control of himself, but his voice was squeaky and broke constantly. "I'm so happy you told me. Puzzles, huh?" He wiped a tear from his eyes.

She huffed, a little of Rouge's fury in her face. "You can think it's stupid, but at least do it behind my back," she said. "Don't you know encouragement in interests is important at my fragile and developing age?"

"First off, no more daytime talk shows for you," he said, catching his breath. "Second, I don't think it's stupid. Honest." He picked her up and hugged her tight. "I'm sure you can find something great to do with puzzles. Make crosswords for newspapers. Or maybe help people with security like your Mom. The sky's the limit."

"Really?"

"Really."

"No, really? Newspapers? No one reads newspapers anymore, Dad."

"Don't sass me, little girl," he said, tickling her sides. She shrieked and kicked at him until he dropped her. "But I mean it. If that's what you want to do, then do it. And I'll be there to support you."

"It is," she said. "But I'll also help you protect the Master Emerald. I got some ideas for traps I could show you. That way, you could spend more time at home."

"I'd like that," he said, tussling her hair, then looked at all the shelves of knowledge.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "You won't miss the emerald?"

"Well, I'm not never coming back. I'll check on things during the week, probably while you're at school. But yes, I will miss it and the island," he said. "After all, Angel Island was home to our tribe. Therefore, this place will always be like a home, too. For me and my family." He patted her shoulder and looked at all the knowledge and history surrounding him. A part of him would always be here, there was no doubt.

"Come on," he said, heading back to the stairs. "I need to check with Tails and see how those sensors are coming."

Ruby lingered for a few moments. "Wait." She snatched a tome off a shelf and followed him up the stairs. She passed him the tome. The genealogy book. "Will you tell more about our family?"

His mouth drooped, unsure what to say. He blinked quickly and lifted his torch away from his face, hiding his eyes in the dark. "Of course."

"And can we go by the West River on our way back? I've never seen a Spotted White Beak."

"Sure thing," he said, smiling and feeling at ease about moving to his new home. For he knew that his tribe and the island's future were in good hands. He leapt up the stairs. "Race you to the river!"

"Dad! No fair!" she said, laughing and chasing after him.

**A/N:**

**Sword:** Awwww! I wish there was more of this!

Me too. But every story has to end.

**Pen:** *inhales excitedly*

Or at least each chapter end.

**Pen:** *heaves a sigh*

Thank you all for reading this. Please let us know what you thought of it. We'll see you later.

**Sword: **I want kids! I wanna enjoy the cuteness!

**Pen:** *clamps hand over Sword's mouth* Uh, she does not speak for all of us.


	6. Grease Monkey

**A/N:**

**Pen:** Nooooo. No, no, no! I thought we were finished with this!

**Sword:** Are you kidding? We're just getting started! Grab a diaper bag and strap in!

What she means to say is we had another idea for this series. It's funny the kind of things your mind will come up with when you're in a melancholy mood and listening to Rod Stewart's "Forever Young". *gives thousand yard stare*

**Sword:**…Uh…

Oh, right. Anywho, Tails, Cream, and all related material belong to Sega. Violet belongs to CandiCindy on Deviantart. The story, Sword, and Pen belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Thank you to IT'S NO USE I'M OUTTA USE, chidoriprime, KnightofTheWind, SaltwaterJanuary, and sad Little demon for their reviews on the last chapter. And now, please enjoy.

**Grease Monkey**

Tails entered the house, reeking of grease and oil and covered head to toe in black, slick stains that matted his fur. He set his toolkit by the door and pried off his googles, revealing his baby blue eyes, the only bit of him actually clean. There was nothing more cathartic than working in his garage all day, rebuilding engines, repairing machines, or even doing simple tune-ups. Somehow, he always managed to get so covered in grime that he could've passed for Shadow.

He entered the kitchen/dining room combo, where Cream was heating up a bottle on the stove. Against the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room, Violet sat in her high chair, babbling and smacking her hands. On her high chair's tray, Cheese snoozed peacefully. He had grown larger in recent years, or fatter as Tails thought, and his skin was a paler blue than it was in his youth. Other than that, he was the same cheerful Chao that often latched onto Violet ever since her birth. _Same as her mother_, Tails thought.

When Violet saw Tails, she stared at him for a moment, as if to mentally process him, then reached up, grabbing for him. "Ba, ba, ma, ma," she said.

"Hey there," he said, bending down to her level. Her ears had grown longer than her body and drooped over the chair. A bit of color was coming into her fur as well. The biggest change, and personally best he thought, was that she no longer cried non-stop. The first few months had seemed so long, but now they could get a decent night's sleep.

He stuck out his forefinger, circling it near her nose and watching her fascinated eyes follow it. She tried to grab it and gum it in her mouth, but he pulled back. "No, no. You don't want to eat oil. It's nasty, trust me. Daddy's had enough fall in his mouth before." He scratched her head and she cooed.

"Tails," Cream said, checking the bottle's temperature by squeezing a few drops on her arm and wiping the milk off on a towel. "I just gave her a bath."

"Right, sorry," he said, checking Violet's head. No sign of grease, but he was filthy. He headed to the shower, scrubbing his work away until he was squeaky clean. Once out of the shower, he headed back to the kitchen, smelling a delicious butterscotch pie on his way in.

"Sonic and Amy here yet?" he asked, eyeing the oven.

"Should be soon," she said, pulling his face away from the oven by his chin and kissing him. She tapped him on the nose. "You'll just have to wait until then."

"Okay, okay," he said. "I'll feed Violet."

"Thanks," she said.

He grabbed the bottle, testing its heat on his arm, and picked his daughter up out of her high chair. As soon as he did, Violet scrunched up her face and let loose a terrible cry that hurt his ears. "Ssh, ssh," he said. "Violet, it's okay. Here's your bottle." But when he tried to give her the milk, she refused to drink and continued shrieking. "Look, I'm here. It's Daddy." He reached out his finger again, hoping that would calm her. If anything, it made the yelling worse and she smacked at his hand.

Cheese woke up, covering his ears and shaking like a leaf from the noise. He cooed low, upset and annoyed.

Tails looked to Cream, helpless and unsure what to do, the same as he had a lot lately. Cream understood and dried her hands on a towel. "Here, I'll feed her," she said. "Would you keep an eye on the oven? The pie needs to come out in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah," he said, hanging his head dejectedly and passing her to Cream. Almost as suddenly as she had started crying, she stopped and allowed Cream to feed her the bottle. Violet looked up at her parents with curious eyes, as if wondering why they wore grim expressions.

Tails sighed and headed into the kitchen, leaning against a counter. His mood soured and he grumbled, angry at himself and wondering why this kept happening.

"It'll pass," Cream said, reassuring him the same way she always did. "It's just a phase." The same reasoning she always gave. The same that Tails had been buying into for the past few weeks. "Maybe it's just separation anxiety. Did you read those books my mom gave us?"

"And re-read them and re-read them. It's too early for that. She's only a few months old."

"And the ones we bought?"

"Nothing in there either." He had scoured every available source for any reasoning why Violet feared him. The worst explanations had been because the baby was abused or didn't feel safe with the parent. The first definitely wasn't true and he hoped the second wasn't either. Unfortunately, not feeling safe was the only answer that made sense.

With a heavy face, Cream sat in the living room, feeding their daughter while Tails watched the pie. When it was ready, he took it out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool. _At least this doesn't cry when I try to hold it_, he thought.

He wished he understood what about him scared his daughter so much. The crying happened seemingly at random. The only surefire way to get her to wail was to pick her up. One hundred percent of the time, it always happened to him. Never to Cream, never to Vanilla when she visited. Even their friends, including Shadow, could hold her now and then without inducing tears. Never Tails.

_Why?_ He couldn't figure it out. He wasn't a bad father, was he? _No, no._ That thought came up every time and he always shot it down. He followed the books to a t, same as any engineering book he read, and he made sure to memorize each and every word. He took the advice of his friends, copied Cream's care for Violet, and did his utmost best to provide for her.

_Then what's wrong?_

Although he constantly pushed away the notion of being a bad father, it never truly went away and gnawed at the back of his mind. Maybe kids found him unlikable? That had certainly been the case when he was a child, always poked fun at for his twin namesakes and ousted as abnormal. Perhaps Violet already sensed her father was a genetic freak? Still, he would have thought his own daughter would accept him.

A small bump brought him back down to the kitchen. He stared into Cheese's concerned and disapproving eyes, as if the small Chao could read his thoughts. The same look Cream always gave him when she sensed his self-doubt. It was a scarily accurate imitation and he wondered if pets truly reflected their owners. _Or is it the other way around?_

He reached out and scratched Cheese's head. "I'm alright, buddy," he said with a small smile. "Thanks."

Cheese cooed and nuzzled against him, then dove straight for the pie. "Ah, ah, ah." Tails snatched the dessert away and hovered over it. "This is for lunch. Cream would kill me if you ate it before Sonic and Amy got here."

_Ding-dong!_

_Speaking of which_, he thought and carried the pie to the dining room, laying it beside the rest of the food. As he headed to the door, he threw a sharp glance over his shoulder, and Cheese halted midway to chomping into the pie. "Don't."

Tails opened the door and greeted Sonic and Amy. "Hey, how you doing, bro?" Sonic asked, clasping Tails' hand and pulling him in for a one-arm hug.

"Good, you?" he asked, then hugged Amy, minding her round belly. Their second baby seemed fit to burst out of her right then and there.

"Good," Sonic said, helping Amy in.

Cream entered with Violet and whispered excitedly to her. "Look who it is, sweetie." She greeted Sonic and Amy. "You look great," she told Amy.

"I look like I'm smuggling a beach ball," she said, rubbing her stomach. "Should be any day now though. Thank goodness. I forgot that it's like carrying a sack of rocks tied to her waist. Sorry we're late," she continued, as her husband helped her with her coat. "We were at Shadow and Rouge's longer than we planned to be."

"Weren't you just dropping off Florian?" Tails asked.

"Yeah," Sonic said, hanging up her coat. "But Shadow kept us waiting in the foyer for a long time. Something about insisting 'laying down fly paper and Velcro to catch Florian'."

Tails exchanged a knowing look with Cream. _Sounds about right_, he thought.

Sonic helped Amy to a chair at the table. "Oh, it looks delicious, Cream," she said, noting the food.

"Yeah," Sonic said and Tails noticed him swallow the drool in his watering mouth.

"Thank you," Cream said and began ladling soup into a bowl for everyone. However, Violet had grown bored and started tugging on Cream's ears. "Ow, ow. No, no. No pulling Mommy's ears. Violet!" She looked to Tails and he started to stand, preparing for more screaming.

Amy beat him to the punch. "Oh, here. I can hold her." And she took Violet off of Cream's hands. She smiled and poked a finger into Violet's belly. The baby gurgled and beat her tiny limbs up and down, enjoying the attention. Sonic leaned over too, making a silly face and tickling her toes.

On the one hand, Tails was happy to see his daughter happy. On the other, he should've been the one able to make her smile like that. He stirred a finger around his glass, trying to block out the negative thoughts that relentlessly pounded his mind.

When he raised his head, Amy's eyes shifted away from him. Before he could question if she had been staring at him, Cream finished doling out the food and placed Violet in her high chair at the end of the table beside Sonic and Tails.

For the next half hour, Amy and Cream talked about their kids and how each were doing, Amy's due date and health, names she had settled on for the baby. "It's actually been pretty hard," Amy said. "I can't decide on any yet. None have stuck out to me."

"Better pick one soon before they arrive. You still don't want to know if it's a boy or girl?" Cream asked.

"No, we want to be surprised."

Meanwhile, Sonic regaled Tails with their latest encounter with Robotnik as Tails tried to get Violet to finish her bottle "And then Silver's twins destroyed the robot. You should've seen it."

"Anyone hurt?" he asked.

"Nah," Sonic said. "Everyone was fine. No problem. Ouch!" Violet had smacked the bottle out of Tails' hand and whacked Sonic's forehead with it, leaving behind some white drops clinging to his eyebrow.

"Violet, no," Tails said, pointing a stern finger at her, then apologized to Sonic, offering him a napkin.

"Hey, not the first time I've had milk on me," he said. "Florian spits the stuff like a sprinkler. I smell like a dairy almost every day."

Tails chuckled and picked up the bottle. "Here, drink," he said to Violet, but she scooted away from him, frowning and searching elsewhere. He reached out further to her and she whined, her face growing red and twisted. _Not again._

"Hey," Sonic said, gaining Violet's attention. "You need to drink your milk if you want to grow up like your dad. C'mon." She stared at Sonic, trying to register his face again. Tails took the opportunity to push the bottle to her mouth. Again, she opened her mouth wide to cry. "Want me to try?" he asked Tails.

The kitsune sighed and handed over the bottle. Sonic pressed it against Violet's lips and to their surprise, she accepted it. She started sucking on the last of the milk, watching Sonic the whole time. Sonic, and not Tails. Letting Sonic feed her and not her father.

Although he maintained a polite grin on his face as Sonic made baby talk to Violet and helped her drink the last drops, Tails' mood darkened in his heart. And that made him feel worse. He didn't want to be mad at his best friend, nor frustrated with his daughter, but it happened and he hated himself for that. It wasn't their fault. It was his, somehow, and he couldn't figure out how to fix it. That only poured on the self-loathing for himself and he pushed away from the table.

"Excuse me," he said, not looking at anyone in particular. "I just remembered that I have something I need to work on."

"But we're eating lunch. And we haven't had dessert yet," Cream said, noting the untouched pie. "It's your favorite."

"Sorry, it really can't wait," he said and nodded to Sonic and Amy. "Sorry." Then he hurried to the garage, shut the door, and leaned against it. He banged his head on the door, closing his eyes and feeling foolish for how he left.

_Well, this day is going great_, he thought to himself. Heaving a sigh through his nostrils, he looked to the Tornado. The navy blue biplane was parked in the center of the large garage. _May as well get some work done_, he thought, grabbing a pair of goggles off his tool table. He scooped up a toolbelt too, strapping it around his waist, and plopped onto his creeper, scooting underneath the plane for some maintenance.

This was relaxing for him. All the parts of a machine laid out, easy to locate any problems or repair any damage. Everything made sense as he worked, everything meshed and fit together, and he always had the right tool for the job.

Even before Violet was born, he had thought he would be ready. Everyone had told Cream and him the horror stories of the first few months and he had brushed up on all the problems that were bound to occur. And while caring for a baby was more overwhelming than he could've imagined, he thought Cream and he had managed well so far. Not perfect, for sure, and there had been several instances where he was completely lost on what to do. Yet they pulled through.

This, on the other hand, was different. Nobody had any answer for your child being afraid of you with no discernible cause. There wasn't any diagnosis on that and there seemed to be nothing wrong with Violet. So it had to be him. She was just naturally afraid of him for some reason.

Did she already believe him to be a bad father and would he be? Did he exhibit some trait for that? Was it something he constantly did that upset her? Or did she really see him as a genetic freak because of his twin tails?

None of it made sense and the more Tails dwelled on it, the more his mind ran in circles until he unscrewed the wrong screw and a piece of the plane fell off, conking him in the head. "Ow!" he said, grabbing his scalp and biting back several swears. He hissed, rolling out on his creeper and met a pair of bright green eyes overhead.

"I think you forgot something," Sonic said with a smirk, holding out a hardly used, yellow hard hat. "Safety first."

"I'm done anyway," he said, standing and kicking the creeper away. "Amy inside?"

"Nah, I already ran her home. She wasn't feeling good."

He nodded. "And she wanted you to come check on me?"

Sonic shrugged. "She suggested it."

"She volun-told you too, then."

"I wanted to," he said. "And Cream was worried too."

Tails rubbed his eyes. He hadn't meant to worry Cream. Another stack to the misery pile for him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to cause a scene. I'm fine now." Sonic sat on a stool by the tool table, spinning around in it and humming to himself. He was waiting for Tails to open up. Tails knew Sonic wouldn't leave until he heard the whole story and the blue hedgehog could be very persistent. "Infuriatingly so," as Shadow often put it.

"Fine." Tails sat on the table next to Sonic, taking off his tool belt. "It's Violet." He explained the crying situation that had been happening over the past few weeks and all the solutions they had tried, from quiet and familiar environments to help her feel safe to imitating Cream's exact maneuvers when carrying her. "And nothing we do works. She's still scared of me."

"No kidding. You look like The Creature from the Black Lagoon," he said, pointing out the grease stains covering Tails.

The kitsune examined himself. He was just as dirty as he was before his shower. He vaguely wondered how he had managed to get so filthy. "Did this ever happen with Florian?"

Sonic crossed his arms and raised his eyes to the ceiling, thinking hard. "Not that I can remember."

"So just me then," he said glumly.

"Hey, it could be anything. She could be a cranky baby. Or maybe it's something else entirely. Either way, it's a phase that'll pass."

"That's what Cream keeps saying," he said, hopping off the table. "But what if my own daughter is scared of me the rest of her life? Even as an adult, she'll be traumatized of me."

"That won't happen," Sonic said.

He knew that, but his mind was on a roll now. "Yeah, but what if Violet grows up and is afraid to talk to me, never invites me to events, always lives in fear of me, her father?" Silly, of course, yet the fear persisted and continued growing.

"Dude, sit," Sonic said, offering his seat and forcing Tails into it by his shoulder. Then he looked him dead in the eye, making sure Tails didn't turn away. "Look, you're a great father and doing all you can. This is a temporary thing. That's it. Got it?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding, his worries still carrying his heart around in their whirlpool of despair.

The door cracked open and Cream poked her head in, carrying Violet in her arm. "Tails?" she asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He glanced at her. "Sorry about earlier."

"It's okay." She kissed the top of his head and smiled, cupping his cheek.

_Maybe Sonic and Cream are right_, he thought, watching Violet yawn and stretch her little arms and legs. _Maybe this is a phase._ He could only hope it was. Still, it stung to not be able to hold Violet at all.

"I better get going," Sonic said. "Amy probably needs help." He hugged Tails, Cream, and opened his hands to Violet. Cream placed the baby in his arms and he rubbed his nose in her face. "See you later too, fuzzball." She cooed and he held her up to Tails. "Say 'Bye-bye, Daddy!' "

"Ba-ba-ba," Violet said and Tails smiled, stroking her belly with his finger. She grabbed his digit, her own hands barely circling it, and pressed the finger to her mouth, slobbering on it.

_Oh, _now_ she likes me_, he thought.

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Here," he said, setting Violet against Tails' chest.

"Sonic, no, I'm dirty and—"

He shushed Tails. "Just give me a minute. Hold her."

Tails wrapped his arms around her reluctantly. They watched Violet and waited, Tails squirming in his seat and preparing for an earth-shattering scream.

But no crying came. None whatsoever. In fact, Violet grabbed Tails' nose, pulling her face to him and running her hands through his fur. Tails was baffled. _What? How?_

Meanwhile, Sonic smacked his forehead and belted out a laugh. "I can't believe you didn't see it!" He wiped away a tear. "For how smart you are, you don't notice when the answer is right in front of your face! Or all over you."

"Which is?"

"Grease."

Tails examined himself once more, noting all the grease stains, then it slowly dawned on him. "There it is," Sonic said. Cream tilted her head, puzzled by what they knew that she didn't. She looked her husband over and soon realized it too.

"His smell," she said.

"Exactly," Sonic said. "Tails always smells like an engine. For as long as I've known him, there's always a faint whiff of it."

"And when I shower and scrub it off for Violet, she gets scared because she doesn't recognize me," Tails finished.

"Exactly," the hedgehog said. "She's knows the smell of her dad."

He smiled and looked at Violet. He didn't need to question it. It all made sense and the living proof was right before him, nestling into his chest. All the fears of being a bad parent washed over him and his spirit soared like a plane through the clouds. "Thanks," he said, blinking back his watery eyes. He wasn't a bad father. His daughter did love him and he could finally hold her at long last.

"Anytime," Sonic said, rubbing his nose.

Cream frowned. "I hope this doesn't mean I'll find oil everywhere in the house."

"Nah," Tails said. "Just a dab behind each ear. After all, can't argue that it's not my natural smell. Two against one." He lifted Violet high in the air above his head. "Isn't that right, my little grease monkey?"

She burbled, waving her arms in circles. A line of drool smacked Tails' forehead and Cream chuckled. "I suppose so. But don't make me chase after both of you with a shower head."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said and brought Violet back down into his arms, enjoying her small body against his, and kissed the top of her head, smearing a dab of grease into her fur. She didn't seem to mind and neither did he. Tails planned to stay on that stool and hold his daughter for a long while. After all, he had a lot of lost time to make up for.

**A/N:**

**Pen:** Ugh, thank goodness that's over.

**Sword:** Oh, it'll never be over.

Hope you're right. Thank you all for reading and please let us know what you thought of it. Take care now.

**Pen:** I'm off for a stiff drink. And several more after that.


	7. A Little Crush

**A/N:** First, we would like to thank MaxDark158 for giving us this idea. When we pondered if we could do this, one particular scene popped into our heads and then we said—

**Sword:** Dude, we gotta do it!

And here we are.

**Pen:** Okay, stop wallowing in how you concocted this next chapter in my never-ending misery and let's move on. Rogue, Knuckles, Shadow, and all the other related material belongs to Sega. The story, Sword, I, and Ruby belong to the author. Don't use anything without asking, blah, blah. You know the rest. Now start.

But I—

**Pen:** Start.

**A Little Crush**

"Ruby, did you unpack your clothes?" Rouge called. No answer. "Ruby!" She counted silently to herself, irritably tapping her fingers on the bannister. Moving itself was bad enough. Not that Rouge didn't mind a change of scenery from time to time and she enjoyed having more space to re-arrange her belongings.

But two things prevented her from re-locating often. One was her stash of ill-gotten goods over the years. She was still paying them off piece by piece to reduce the pressure from authorities worldwide and sold some to GUN in exchange for more valuable favors, such as pardons from sticky situations. But her hoard seemed to grow with a beautifully cut gem here, a priceless vase there, and soon she was back to square one.

So she had to use her black market connections to hide her treasure in certain locations and move it one at a time. Frankly, it exhausted her and she made empty promises once again to off-load some of it for good. Maybe Knuckles could help her keep to them this time. _Doubtful_, she thought.

The second was when the only available homes were outside of the city. She took stock of the suburban décor around her while she waited for Ruby and shuddered. Fresh, green gardens outside, homey atmosphere with simple furniture, friendly neighbors. It made her nauseous. She loved the city and its smog, its loud traffic, its cantankerous population, and the many targets ripe for the picking that she could slip in and slip out of, then disappear into the shadows without notice.

Here, she was recognized and waved to and invited to "come over anytime." _Not on their lives._ In fact, if the apartment had been big enough for Shadow, Knuckles, her, and Ruby, she would have opted to stay there. At least Knuckles had compromised to have a house within walking distance of the city limits instead of out in the middle of nowhere.

"Ruby!" she shouted and stomped up the stairs. Of course, a third unpleasant reason was starting to reveal itself in her daughter's lazy habit of barely packing her own belongings, and sometimes not even that much.

Ruby's bedroom door flung open, missing Rouge's face by inches. "Oops! Sorry, Mom! Got to get to school!" The smaller bat raced down the stairs without a backward glance.

"Hold it!" Rouge said, chasing her out the front door's threshold. "Did you unpack your clothes?"

"I'll do it later! Bye, love you!" she said, already sprinting down the road to the bus stop at the corner.

Rouge grumbled, resting her head on the jamb. "Howdy, neighbor," the person next door said, waving as he left for work. She bared her teeth and slammed the door shut.

The boxes in the living room were partly unpacked. She dumped the contents of each box out, busying herself to calm down and arranging pictures, lamps, and kitchenware around the first floor. By the time she finished with the last box, the place was starting to feel more like her apartment. Her chest swelled with pride and relief.

Knuckles and Shadow would be bringing over the rest pretty soon. In the meantime, her attention returned to Ruby and Ruby's clothes. With a weary sigh, she climbed the stairs to see how little work her daughter had actually done.

In Ruby's room, the bare mattress and bed were stacked with boxes of clothes that had been rummaged through, with unneeded attire for the day tossed to the floor. The closet was wide open with more boxes shoved inside of it. In fact, the only things that had been unpacked and put up were posters of favorite bands on the walls, Ruby's television and game systems, her computer, and some Sudoku and crossword puzzle books.

_Just the essentials_, Rouge thought with a wry grin.

The daunting pile of boxes on the bed taunted her waning energy. Instead she turned to the closet and pulled out the box on the bottom. It was already a little crushed. _Better check if anything's broken_, she reasoned, ripping the tape off.

Nothing ruined on top. There was only some old school books and pictures. She sifted through the packing peanuts, accidentally spilling some on the floor. She noticed a wastepaper basket in the corner, stuffed with some paper. Grabbing it, she scooped handfuls of the peanuts in as she unloaded the box.

At the bottom of the box, she noticed a white book with a lock strap. Curious, Rouge dug it out, brushing some of the pink peanuts off it. It looked like a diary. When had Ruby gotten a diary?

Allowing her instincts to take over at the sight of the keyhole, she reached for the clasp, tugging at it. Locked tight. She searched the box for a key, but Ruby must've hidden it elsewhere. Maybe in one of the other boxes.

_I don't really need a key_, she thought. She had a perfectly good lock pick kit somewhere that would make short work of this shoddy lock. She could run downstairs right now and check if it was—

Rouge blinked, snapping back to her senses. She couldn't do that. Invading a stranger's privacy for grand larceny was one thing, but her daughter's secret diary? That was too far. She set the book aside and continued unpacking the textbooks and picture.

Yet as she set aside book after book, her eyes kept darting to the diary. She added a textbook to the pile.

_Where did Ruby get it from?_

Textbook.

_How long had she kept a diary?_

Cracked picture frame of the beach.

_What sort of secrets were within?_

She reached into the box and realized it was empty. She shoved it aside and rather than grab another, she crossed her legs and stared at the diary, taunting her, mocking her. How would Rouge feel if someone else invaded her privacy?

_But I'm her mother and I have a right to know if there are any problems she isn't telling me._

Privacy.

Parent.

Ruby's wrath.

Ruby's well-being.

Her mind flopped between both sides, each with their convincing arguments, and was so engrossed in the diary, her vision tunneling on the numerous pages begging to be read and full of juicy secrets, that she didn't notice Knuckles had arrived. He carried a chair stacked with a lamp and small dresser into the room and stepped on the book, breaking the spell on Rouge.

"Wah!" he yelled, the book crunching and sliding out from underneath his foot. He lost his balance, fighting for control of his leaning tower, frantically shuffling back and forth throughout the room.

"Careful!" Rouge yelled, steering him away from the bed. He ran to the corner, banging the chair into the wall, and dropped the load. He leaned over the chair, panting and holding onto the armrests tight.

"You all right?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, slowly sliding to the floor.

Relieved that he was fine, she surveyed the damage. Pulling the chair forward, she frowned at a new hole in the wall. "Good going, Knucklehead." At least the chair appeared undamaged.

"Hey, I'm not the one who left books everywhere," he said.

The diary. In the confusion, Rouge had lost sight of it. She fell to her hands and knees, scouring the floor, and spotted it under a leg of the chair. _Great._ She needed to put the book back where it belonged before it was completely destroyed.

Rouge pulled the dresser and lamp off the chair, then lifted the leg. To her dismay, the lock was cracked and the strap hung limply off the book. After all the trouble she went through resisting temptation, fate had opened the diary for her.

"What's that?" Knuckles asked as she stood up.

Rouge ignored him. Her troubled spirit was replaced by a giddy excitement as she held the diary in her hands. A treasure trove for any parent was at her fingertips. _I'll already catch flak for tampering with it anyway._ Not to mention Ruby would likely suspect her parents read the diary entries no matter what they said. _May as well commit the crime if I'm going to have to deal with the guilt._

Licking her fingertip, she thumbed through the pages. The entries varied in length greatly, some long, some short. She skimmed some of the entries, searching for any stand-outs. _Hates school, adventures on Angel Island, family, friends._ She hummed to herself, finally reaching the last few entries.

"What is that?" Knuckles repeated.

"Ruby's diary."

"You can't read that!" he said, jumping up. "That's her—What is it?"

Rouge's eyes had widened and a devious, knowing smirk crawled along her lips. _Well, well. What have we here?_ "It seems that our dear Ruby is growing up faster than we thought," she said, reading through the particular entry in fascination.

"How do you mean?"

"She has her eye on a handsome young man at school." She tore her eyes from the book as she flipped to the next page. "A crush on a classmate."

Knuckles's own eyes ballooned and he was silent for a beat, processing the revelation. He looked between the diary in her hands, then back to Rouge. "Who do we have to kill?" he asked, standing beside her and reading along.

"Relax, Ultra-Dad," she said teasingly. "It's a little crush." She turned to the latest entry as Shadow entered the room, heaving a beanbag chair with some bed sheets into a corner.

The black hedgehog stopped at the doorway, watching Rouge and Knuckles standing side by side, completely enthralled. "If you two are having a moment, I'll be outside."

"It's not like that," Rouge said, turning so he could see the diary in her hands.

"Ruby has a crush," Knuckles said. "We're trying to find out more about him."

Shadow looked between the two of them and crossed his arms. "Who do we have to kill?"

Knuckles swept his arm towards Shadow in gratitude as if to say "Thank you."

"_Nobody_," Rouge said, sitting on the bed and moving aside the scissors, tape, a roll of ribbon, and a pen on the mattress. The other two gathered around her, pouring through how she had made a special card for the boy, Ethan, that day to confess and ask him to be her boyfriend. "Explains the craft supplies," she said, picking up the tape and noting the paper in the wastebasket.

"I feel a little guilty about reading this," Knuckles said, taking the diary from her and flipping randomly through the pages.

Rouge smirked. "I don't see you putting it down."

"Well, I want to know about this Ethan," he said, walking around. "But I feel like we should wait until Ruby wants to tell us and is ready. When she's ready to introduce us to Ethan, I trust that she'll do it."

"Children shouldn't keep secrets from their parents," Shadow said. "Maria and I never kept anything from Gerald Robotnik, or one another. We got along well and had very few fights, all because we trusted one another to not hide anything. No secrets at all."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Ruby is growing up," Knuckles said. "She'll start having secrets of her own. Not much we can do about that."

He had a point. The shame in the pit of Rouge's stomach gnawed at her. She already lied and deceived enough in her job. Their home should be a safe place, especially for Ruby, and their daughter should feel like she could trust her parents with anything, including respecting her secrets. "You're right for once, Red."

Shadow scoffed. "A parent has the right to their privacy."

"Hate to see how screwed up your kid would turn out to be," Knuckles mumbled under his breath, but Shadow's piercing glare bored right through him. Knuckles busied himself with another entry and looked up. "Wait, what's this about Ruby swallowing diamonds as a baby?"

Rouge whipped around to Shadow, whose pupils dilated and face become beet red in terror. "Uh, then again," he said, quickly snatching the book out of Knuckles's hands, throwing it in the corner of the closet, shutting the door, and leaning on it, "maybe kids are entitled to keep something to themselves now and then."

"You told her that story?!" Rouge thundered.

"It was a bonding moment," Shadow said, trying to explain but Rouge pounced at him. He side-stepped and rushed to the door. "I almost forgot. We should really bring in that living room sofa. Got to have the moving truck back before five." Then he dashed out and his footsteps rumbled down the stairs.

Before Rouge give chase, Knuckles stepped in. "Hold on! You told me she ate a rock and when I brought the money you asked for, that it was to pay for the surgery to remove it!"

"I didn't lie exactly," she said. "Diamonds are rocks."

"That money was bail money, wasn't it?"

Seeing she was caught, Rouge pecked Knuckles's nose, catching him off-guard. He stumbled back, enough for her to slip around him. "I should really help Shadow with that sofa. Be right there. Shads!" she said, quickly exiting the room.

"Oh, no, you don't," Knuckles said, running after her. "We're not done with this yet!"

* * *

It took hours of back and forth arguing while bringing boxes and furniture in, but they unloaded the moving truck in record time. Although Rouge attributed that to the adrenaline from the arguments. Fleeing from someone breathing down your neck and chiding her, while at the same time dashing after someone she was chewing out, was a great motivator while carrying heavy loads.

In the end, they settled on a truce as the clock struck three so as not to arouse any suspicion. Ruby was due home any minute, so everyone did their best to act natural. Knuckles made the mistake of entering the backyard and was immediately cornered by the old woman who lived behind them and loved to prattle nonstop about her azaleas. Shadow watched from the kitchen, enjoying a refreshing drink and the show.

The front door opened and Rouge perked up from the sofa. Ruby walked in, kicking off her shoes and shuffling across the foyer. "Hey, sweetie," Rouge said. "How was school?"

Her daughter didn't even look her way. She mumbled a "Fine" and started to climb the stairs.

Rouge's intuition kicked in. Something was wrong. "Hey," she said, following after her. "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing," Ruby said, turning into her room and shutting the door.

Rouge was quicker and jammed her boot between the door and the jamb. "Ruby." But her daughter abandoned the door, dropped her backpack on the floor, and collapsed on the bed, rolling away from her. Rouge opened the door wider, carefully approaching Ruby and sitting on the bed beside her.

She couldn't see her face, but Rouge sensed that her daughter was crying. Ruby's breathing through her nose sounded a little too congested to Rouge's ears and she hid her face against the wall. Rouge sat patiently, her eyes wandering around the partially unpacked room.

It had to be because of Ethan. Had to be, even though she hoped it wasn't. _Maybe it's something else_, yet nothing came to mind. She had hoped Ruby's first crush wouldn't end in heartbreak already.

_Who's to say it's heartbreak?_ Perhaps Ethan was moving to another school and they wouldn't see each other as much. Best case scenario. Worst case was he had rejected her. _Please let it have been gentle. For her sake. Please, please, please._

"Hon," she asked, touching Ruby's shoulder. She shivered and rolled onto her stomach. "Did something happen at school?"

"It's nothing," she said.

"Hey, you can tell me," she said. "It'll be our secret." _Unlike Shadow and his big mouth._

Ruby peered out at her with one glassy eye. She kept her face in her pillow, mumbling low, and Rouge had to strain to hear her. "Well, there's this guy at school."

Rouge's heart beat faster. She was actually going to divulge her crush to her. Fearing to move even a muscle, Rouge kept her mouth tightly closed, humming as she took in the news and urging Ruby to continue.

"And he's really nice and I kind of like him. So today, I was going to tell him, so I left a note in his locker."

"Mm-hm."

"But one of his friends found it and blabbed about it all over school. Then when I saw him at recess later, I found out he had a girlfriend. Her and her friends were making fun of me, calling me 'weird' and a 'loser with loser parents'."

Teeth biting down and grinding the enamel, Rouge kept an even composure. "Hm."

"And they kept calling me a 'thief like your mom' and accused me of stealing boys. I wasn't trying to! I didn't know he had a girlfriend. His friends kept laughing at me too."

"And what did this boy say?" Rouge said, her voice close to cracking in a violent rage.

"He said, 'Sorry, I don't feel the same way'," Ruby said, "and that was it. I walked away and his friends kept laughing."

"He didn't try to stop them?"

"No, not really," she said and offered a lame, "He told them to cut it out once."

Rouge's entire vision was bathed in murderous blood red and she nearly couldn't see straight, but the soft sniffles of her daughter stalled the anger for the time being. _First things first._ She opened her arms wide and Ruby swayed from the pillow into Rouge's chest. She stroked her daughter's head, curling her long, pink bangs around her finger.

"Hey, a boy like that isn't worth it," she said. "If he can't even stand up to his friends, he sure isn't going to stand up for any girlfriend he has. He's a doormat. And frankly, he doesn't deserve a beautiful, smart, amazing girl like you. No matter how nice, or handsome he might be, if he doesn't stick up for you, then it's better to move on."

Ruby didn't say anything and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Rouge dabbed her daughter's eyes with her gloves, cleaning off the tears.

"I know it may seem hard now, but you'll forget about this boy in no time. And soon you'll find someone better. A girl like you will have no trouble doing that. Boys will flock to you. You'll find someone who appreciates you for who you are."

"Yeah, right," Ruby said, her voice croaking.

"I promise you will," she said, kissing the top of her head. "And don't listen to those other kids. You're my daughter and that already makes you more special than they could ever be." She lifted up Ruby's cheeks and looked into her eyes, giving her a warm smile. "Hey, your dad and I have to run a couple of errands and return the moving truck. How about we bring home a pizza and a couple of movies for us to watch? Your pick."

She nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Rouge hugged her tight, pecking her cheek. "I love you, hon. We all do. Never forget that."

"I love you too, Mom."

"We'll call you on our way home," Rouge said. She grabbed a blanket from one of the boxes, draping it over Ruby and laying her down. "Try to get some sleep, okay?" Ruby nodded.

Rouge left, closing the door behind her, and found Knuckles and Shadow at the bottom of the stairs. Knuckles had slipped on his sharpest pair of gloves and Shadow was checking the clip of a pistol. They gave her a knowing look and Rouge sighed.

"Fine," she said. "Let me get my steel-toed boots."

Knuckles produced the boots behind his back. She exchanged a peck on the lips for them. "You know me so well," she said. "And," she plucked the gun out of Shadow's hand and pointed the grip at him, "no guns. We're going to scare this Ethan kid and his girlfriend, not traumatize them."

Shadow clucked his tongue, as if to say, "You take the fun out of everything."

"So, was there any address in that book?"

"No," Rouge said, leaning against the stair's bannister and taking off her boots. "But where do all middle school kids hang out?" She paused for an answer and received none. "The mall." She tugged on the steel-toed boots and walked out the front door. "We can drop off the truck on the way."

Some might accuse her of overkill. Perhaps. But this was something only a mother could understand. Nobody, and that meant _nobody_, messed with her baby girl. She turned back to the house, smirking. "Coming, boys?"

**A/N:** This was a pretty fun one to write and we have to thank MaxDark158 again for the idea. It was made all the more fun by Rouge's more, shall we say, flexible morals in handling situations.

**Sword:** Super-Mom to the rescue with a smack-down!

As always, we would love to hear from all you lovely people what you think of the story. Please let us know and if you have any suggestions, we're happy to hear them. In the meantime, until we come up with another idea, take care!


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